The Denial Twist
by P0g0Stick
Summary: Now her lips were beginning to quiver, and he realized he had been 'ogling' her. His right hand shot to his eyes, as he felt his cheeks start to redden. Didn't anyone ever tell you, Sasuke? Denial is only the first stage! SasuHina.
1. Chapter 1

**The Denial Twist**

x.x.x

_**p0g0stick**_

**Summary:** Now her lips were beginning to quiver, and he realized he had been 'ogling' her. His right hand shot to his eyes, as he felt his cheeks start to redden. Didn't anyone ever tell you, Sasuke? Denial is only the first stage! SasuHina.

**XXX**

WARNING: This is rated M for a reason, mostly because of the VERY strong use of language and possible…er…situations? You have been warned.

**XXX**

The beginning is a bit slow, but give it time. (:

**XXX  
**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Naruto. What DO I own? A cellphone. That's it. And it cost me too much.

x.x.x

**PART ONE**

**XXX**

"_A lot of people get confused and they bruise  
Real easy when it comes to love,  
They start putting on their shoes and walking out  
And singing, 'Boy, I think I had enough'_"

-_**The Denial Twist**_, **The White Stripes**

**XXX**

This party was boring.

Boring, boring, boring.

Not only was it really shitty, but there was nothing to do. Everybody was completely wasted (excluding him, of course. Alcohol brought him no pleasure), and even _that_ should have proven interesting and at times, quite humorous.

But it didn't.

In fact, Sasuke Uchiha would rather carve out his eyeballs with the corkscrew they had used to open the bottles of that cheap wine Inuzuka had smuggled in. There was also a bottle opener used to pop open the bottles of beer (Samuel Adams, perhaps? Oh well. Not like it mattered) that some smartass had been able to get in.

Either would do. Both of them were equally painful. The corkscrew or the bottle opener, it was like choosing between chocolate or vanilla ice-cream.

He could sneak back inside through the throng of people and snatch the items from the table where the idiots had left them.

Sasuke knew they were there, because before he came out onto the deck, he saw everyone grab a bottle and pop it open, then shift over towards the living room.

The pain of the corkscrew (or the bottle opener, whichever he chose in the end), would most likely distract him away from the tortured pain of having to sit here with no way home.

Sure, he could drive. He was now officially a fuckin' high school graduate at the age of 18, but he didn't have a car. He had money, this was true. He had all the necessities many vied for with meager salaries, such as a cell phone, a working laptop, so on and so forth. He could have bought a car, but with college a mere few months away, what was the use?

So now, back to the situation at hand…

He was stranded, left alone on an island in a sea of cheap alcohol bought with an even cheaper, faker ID. The least they could have done was stolen shit from a liquor cabinet. He was sure there was a fully stocked one somewhere inside this house.

It was ritzy enough to have something decent in it.

Actually, whose house was this?

He couldn't even remember. Hah! How hilarious! He was stranded at a place he didn't even know. Hell, if he did have a car, he wouldn't know where to go.

Oh, this was so rich! He could almost howl with laughter at the situation he had found himself in.

Then, he realized, that not only was he lost, but he was alone. He couldn't even hear the voices of his classmates.

His **CLASSMATES**! Now that was something to laugh about. They weren't his classmates any more, at least not until they have their prom tomorrow night (which he wasn't going to, that was for sure). They could all kiss his ass now, he was finally leaving this dirty, nobody town. He was going to go to college, just like his brother. However, there was a difference between him and this so-called 'brother'. He was going to make something out of this college experience. He wasn't going to knock-up chicks or get caught on DUI. He wasn't going to get stoned in parking lots of nobody-fast food places at 2 am. His brother was always his father's favorite, but if his father had only seen what had become of this so-called 'prodigy'…

Oh, what did it matter?

The man was dead. He couldn't judge anyone anymore.

Really, Sasuke didn't give two shits if he was successful in life…

Well, as long as he was more successful than his bastard brother.

Now that he thought about it, maybe it would have been easier if he had dropped out when that idea had first arisen.

It was during sophomore year, and he had a steady income of cash flow coming thanks to his parent's death. Sure, he had to share it with his elder brother, but it was still cash. And he had endless amounts of it. And, sure, it seemed almost selfish and callous to be saying that he was happy his parents had died (he wouldn't admit to it now, but when he was alone—which he always was—at night, he'd miss his own mother so much that it hurt), but they were the reason for the wonderful fortune he possessed.

And, he'll assure you, the amount of cash he bestowed was endless.

Endless.

Anyway, he had the right mind to drop out and just live at home by himself. He'd like that. A lot.

Just reading books, or sorting through his thoughts.

The mere idea was so pleasant.

Then, once the word got 'round that Sasuke Uchiha was going to become a High-School dropout, every kid and their dog (well, it seemed that way…) was persuading Sasuke to stay in, that it wasn't worth it.

Really, he just ignored it all. It was a load of bull.

Then, when that goddamned Naruto Uzumaki, bless his little dobe brain, actually confronted Sasuke with the possibility of him using up all the money and lacking any when he was older simply terrified the then-16-year-old.

It was possibly the smartest thing that idiot had said all the years Sasuke had known him.

But now, the silence was beginning to actually worry him.

Hah! No!

He didn't worry.

But now, he couldn't help wondering…

_Where the__** hell**__ was every one?_

He was outside on the verandah, and had kept to himself most of the party. The door was even closed, preventing anyone who wasn't sober enough to open it to come talk to him, prattling on about how they were going to score tonight (this was the option left for the males) or how much they were in love with him (this actually could go both ways, considering Sasuke had many…er…admirers.)

It was only when the lights went off that he found himself in complete and utter darkness, a starless, cloudless sky with the sliver of a crescent moon.

_What the hell?_ He abruptly jumped up from his chair, and felt his knee smack the table that his arm had once been resting on.

_FUCK!_

Rubbing his knee with care, he began blindly hobbling towards the verandahs doors.

Lucky enough for him, there was still an iridescent glow from within the doors, which meant once he got in he could check…

Wait!

He had a watch!

With a light!

Yes!

He used his right had to pull back his left sleeve of the black suit jacket he was wearing (he was ONLY wearing it because of Graduation. He never liked to dress up too much) and froze over when he realized he had decided not to put on a watch tonight.

Damn him for not wearing one!

Damn him!

Sighing, he reached out to the handles (which were well illuminated by the light inside), and tugged on them.

They were locked.

Damnit all.

Did he bring his cell phone?

He couldn't remember. Stuffing his hands into both pockets of his suit-pants, he pulled out a wad of cash and a stick of gum.

Now he began digging in the pockets of the jacket and only brought out a packet of tissues (they were in case he got bored to tears from the graduation ceremony. Haha, see, he could have a sense of humor!).

There was only one thing he could do…

"OPEN UP, GOD DAMNIT!" Sasuke began yelling, rattling the handles and causing a few birds to scatter from trees that were outside surrounding the verandah.

He stopped, trying to listen to see if there were any sounds from inside.

But his words fell on deaf ears.

_I hope they don't have a security system…then I'd be screwed._

Right now, Sasuke just wanted to escape.

The verandah was up on the second floor, and he wasn't going to risk jumping, no sir. Slowly, he walked over to the edge, taking care to make sure he wouldn't fall off.

Or hurt himself again.

There was a window beside the verandah, and not only was warm light spilling from inside, it was slightly ajar.

Success!

Now, just to get to the window…

He was pretty tall; he could stretch and make a jump for it…

…right?

Right!

He stood shakily on the rimmed edge of the balcony, hoping that his shoes wouldn't scuff it.

Reach…that's it…reach…

His fingertips brushed against the window sill.

Argh!

He leaned, reached, stood on the tips of his toes (shoes) and…

Ugh!

Jump…right, he has to jump and hope that his hand doesn't slip when it makes contact with the sill.

God, he must have really been out of it to come up with such a stupid idea…

Did he have any alcohol to drink?

He didn't think he had…

_Well, here goes nothing._

He jumped, and for a second he thought gravity was going to win and send him hurtling towards the ground. But then, as his hand graciously gripped the sill, he found himself suspended in the air, his fingers beginning to ache.

And they were slipping.

Why hadn't he thought this through enough? How was he going to push himself up now?

Sure, he had upper body strength, but let's face it…he was lean and not all that bulky, and right now quite weak. Sure, he had sinewy, strong muscles, but right now he possessed no energy whatsoever.

Plus, if he could pull himself up, he'd have to open the window up more.

Swinging his free hand, he grabbed the left side of the window (it was the type that clasped in the center, and two door-like frames opened width-wise) and opened it more.

Now was for the tricky part.

He was sure he could fit in, but he had to push himself up into it.

The best way to just get through this whole stupid ordeal was to count to three and get it over with.

Hey, maybe if he fell and broke his spine, he'd die and not worry about college, or pleasing his dead father, or being better than his asshole of a brother…

Not like he was one to contemplate suicide…

…much.

His expression turned smug.

HA. Take _THAT_ fate. He could live or die, and both choices pleased him.

Now, count to three.

One…two…THREE!

PUSH!

**XXX**

Sasuke spilled into a room of white. White walls, white ceiling, and a soft white floor…it actually felt nice, come to think of it. The floor, that is.

Not the white.

The white he could do without.

Also, the light…it was so bright, his eyes had to adjust to it.

Shielding his poor, feeble eyes from the light, he waited until the uneasiness subsided.

He could've sworn that he knocked his head on something as he came tumbling in…

And he was sure someone had heard that.

Forgetting about the light and the searing pain in his head, he stumbled to his feet and checked his surroundings.

There was a bed, covered in white (of course), a white vanity with three mirrors that spat his tousled, pale image back at him (it also had a thick brush on it and a comb, both a matching iridescent pearl color), white dressers with a few small figurines of lambs on them (this made him wince when he approached the dresser to identify them), and a white bedside table with a lamp which emitted the light.

It was like some alien world to him.

Too clean, too beatific.

And he felt as if in this room every single one of his dark flaws was becoming too noticeable. His aching skull, his scuffed shoes, his tousled hair and clothes, it all seemed that all his little imperfections were being taken note of.

Damnit, it pissed him off.

But it didn't matter, in a matter of minutes he'd be out of this place and in a taxi back to his house.

He just had to figure out where he was, exactly, and how to slip by unnoticed.

Obviously he was now on the third floor (uh, how many floors did this house _have_ exactly?!), so he just needed to find the stairs, go down to the first floor and he'd be home free! He remembered where the front door was, right? And if it was as late as it appeared to be, everyone should be asleep and he could sneak through unnoticed.

It was a cinch!

Walking from his position near the dresser with those gag-worthy figurines, he moved towards the door to get out of this room before he collapsed on the floor because of the overwhelming…_white_.

Sasuke gripped the doors knob carefully and began to twist it.

Then he heard the footsteps, just barely audible behind the door. They were approaching at a quick pace.

_Quick, think Sasuke, think!_

Under the bed?

No, it was too high up; whoever it was would see him.

Under the Vanity desk?

NO!

Back out the window?

_FUCK_ NO! That wasn't an option!

He began to sweat furiously, and the little hairs on his neck were prickling. This wasn't part of the plan!

What did he do to deserve this?

What, he asked you, what?!

XXX

Hyuuga Hinata wasn't feeling too well.

The party had ended, yes, she was happy about this, but in the pit of her stomach there was this…thing.

It felt like the beginning of a hurricane.

Strong, sickly, but not raging out of control…yet.

That was for later.

So, to tame the storm and clear her thoughts, she decided to take a shower.

Well, in truth it had been Neji's idea. He thought she was stressing too much over the mess that their fellow graduate's had left in their wake.

Hinata disliked parties, well, at least raging and wild ones and she was lucky to have Neji there to usher every one out before it became too horrendous (even if it had been his idea to hold the party at their house in the first place.)

They were both lucky enough that Hinata's father was away on business, and their maid didn't mind cleaning up the rooms where (cough)…things…went down.

Really, Hinata had tried to help, but the maid and Neji both persuaded her that they could easily handle everything (everything being the…ugh…bathrooms—excluding hers, she made sure no one entered her room, her father's room, or her younger sister's—tipped over couches, and a sea of empty bottles and cups).

She truly was exhausted, but that wasn't the reason why she wasn't feeling quite herself.

Not only was she no longer a senior (or in High School, for that matter), she'd have to say goodbye to all of her friends and enter a terrifying new college (which she had been accepted into). Hyuuga Hinata was _not_ good at making friends.

The reason she had companions now was because back in pre-school the teacher had forced them together, and together they made bonds.

But now she was going to be thrust into a scary new world of different, strange faces, new classes and teachers who would probably yell at her to speak up and…

Eep.

She cringed slightly.

Neji wasn't even going to be at the same college with her.

Maybe she should just stop now.

She really could.

Her father had enough money (not like he'd give her any of it, nor would she inherit a lot of it. That all went to her _wonderful_, athletic, intelligent sister Hanabi), and she could simply open up a small art studio (which was what she _really_ wanted to do).

Hinata sighed in defeat.

Her father was willing to pay for tuition, and this college was well-known for its Visual Arts department.

So why should she complain?

She had the money to get in, they had accepted her…

But it was just so difficult to suck up her fear and speak to people.

After entering the bathroom, Hinata closed the door behind her and locked it. It was strange, she had the whole third floor to herself (well, Hanabi was up there too, but to Hinata's knowledge she was snug in her bed and fast asleep) and she actually quite liked it.

The solitude.

She removed her clothes, which reeked of cigarette smoke and beer (she had Kiba to thank for that, he spilt some of his drink on her while on a drunken rant about how he was happy to be leaving the hell of a school) and stepped into the tub cautiously.

As the water fizzled down out of the nozzle, and the cold water felt so nice on her warm skin.

Usually, her skin was an agreeable cool temperature, but she was tired and sweaty from wearing that heavy gown for two hours (and that cap itched at her sensitive scalp). Even though the air conditioning had been on during the night's festivities, the body heat emitted from every one was overwhelming, and this contributed to her feverish state.

It was too late to bother with washing her hair, so she just rinsed it through with water. Tomorrow it'd be easier to shampoo and condition it. It was probably a bad idea rinsing it now because of how long and thick her hair was, it was going to take forever to dry.

Oh well, it probably smelled bad anyway.

**XXX**

Stepping out of the shower, Hinata wrapped a towel securely around her and leaned back into the stall, squeezing excess water (which was a lot) out of her hair.

After a small yawn, she unlocked the bathroom door and peered around the corner of the doors entrance. Air, colder than the water she had showered in, was circling and caused a wave of goose bumps to rise on her soft, pale skin.

Her room was to the left of the bathroom, just down a small hallway. It was at the back of the house, and Hinata felt as it was almost…a haven. She was away from all the commotion of the first two floors, and from her sister's and father's rooms.

Emerging from the room, she closed the door behind her and began to walk towards her room, combing her fingers through her endless strands of hair.

Before she went to bed she should brush it and de-tangle it.

**XXX**

Oh shit!

What to do?

He had no clue.

Right now, he was lost.

FUCK! The handle was turning! Oh god, this wasn't going to be pleasant. How could he explain this?

Well, he'd tell the truth. That's all he had.

Usually Sasuke was a quick thinker, but the drowsy haze he was in prevented him from doing so.

He had prayed that they were going to another room, any other room…where there any other rooms on this floor?

Oh, and let us not forget how he had no clue whose house this was.

What if it was…Ino Yamanaka's house!

Oh dear God…

Sure she was going out with that lazy ass Nara Shikamaru, but he couldn't shake off the horrid images he had from childhood…

And elementary school…

And Junior High…

Well, there was one thing he was certain of.

This wasn't Sakura's room.

And thank God.

Because surely, if this had been her house, all hell would break loose…then again, he didn't give the girl enough credit.

Really, she hadn't thrown herself at him in years.

Maybe it was how much more distant and callous he had become. That used to drive girls wild, and now it sort of creeped them out, (not like he cared, that's all he ever wanted.)

He had also lost a lot of weight; he was a bit…fragile.

This made him involuntarily rub his head where a generous swell was emerging.

AH! CRAP!

The door knob was turning to its full extent now!

Sasuke backed up until his back was against the wall (and the window).

Right now, he swore that time had decided to go a few seconds slower, because as the door opened it felt like an eternity.

This was going to be pretty embarrassing…

Tightening his fists into balls, he felt his finger nails making painful incisions into his palm.

And when he saw what was in the entrance of the door, he almost passed out.

**XXX**

Hinata's legs felt weak.

Inside her room was a young man.

Wait…

She knew him.

He was in…had been in her senior class.

Sasuke Uchiha!

Yes, she knew him…

She'd seen him at graduation, but not at the house.

What was he doing here?

Why was he in her room?

Her hands began to shake and she began to get a prickling heat down her spine.

Right now she wanted to say something, maybe demand why exactly he was here.

Hinata's mouth opened, but it closed, no sound came out.

"Now, listen, I know this doesn't look right, but—"

"Whu-wha-what…whuh…whah-t…" was all that came flooding out, word vomit, and a jumble of sounds that didn't make any sense.

It made her bite her tongue so hard it almost cut and bled.

Now he was staring at her! His eyes were moving up and down and—EEP!

She hugged the towel tighter to her skin.

A little squeak found its way out of her mouth and she felt her lip quiver.

**XXX**

He was so dead.

So, so, so, _SO_ dead.

As long as she didn't scream, though, it would all be okay.

Just _peachy_.

Peachy?

What the hell? Since when did he say—think…oh, it didn't matter!

Now her lip was beginning to shake, and he realized he had been 'ogling' her. His right hand shot to his eyes, as he felt his cheeks start to redden.

She had a _really_ nice rack and—AH! Fuck! No, _stop thinking about it!_

Sasuke Uchiha wasn't supposed to be checking out girls, he gave up a great deal of his life to stop them looking at him!

First things first, and that was to try and calm her down. He spoke, but all that she uttered was a jumble of whuh's and whatever's that he couldn't comprehend.

"Look, I was at the party, and I went out onto the verandah on the second floor and I sort of lost track of time and then the doors were locked so I came up here because the window was open and I just want to get home!" The waterfall of words spilled out, each as stoic as he could make them (which ultimately failed).

When she didn't give him an answer, he opened up the space between his index and middle finger to peer through at her.

She was shaking like a scared rabbit, and he prayed she didn't faint.

Don't faint, don't scream.

That's all he asked.

"I-I-I…y-you…"

"Just tell me how to get out of here!"

He watched as she moved out of the doorway and pointed down the hallway,

"Stairs to t-th-the rih-right—"

"I can get out from there!"

He ran faster than light down the hallway, to the very bottom on the first floor, and blindly through the dark depths towards the front door.

As he was running, he knew he'd passed people, some of the house staff, he thought, because, hell a house this big needed it.

The front door was lock, so he had to unlock each single bolt before he could escape.

It was all too wrong and all too unimaginable. Has this EVER, EVER happened to ANYONE else?

The answer was NO.

He was obviously cursed.

As he ran through the grand courtyard at the front of the house (Damnit, he hadn't even NOTICED this, where had his mind been all night?) sprinklers came on and drenched him in fertilizer and water. DID FATE EVER CEASE TO ABUSE HIM?!

He had to jump the wall, but at this rate, he couldn't care less. The wall was about his height and completely white (just like every single other thing in this goddamn place) and he easily pushed himself onto it thanks to a running start.

As he landed on the earth, his knees buckled and he fell to the ground.

Wet, lost and a bit cold, he stood on his feet again and began walking in a random direction.

Sooner or later he'd get somewhere, right?

Right?

Yeah.

He needed to stop using that damned word…

Maybe all he needed was to sit down. Yes, he was going to sit, and possibly lie down.

No, definitely lie down.

And as Sasuke Uchiha, the wealthy, attractive, high-school graduate slowly drifted off to sleep, he kept in mind that somewhere in this neighborhood in some house, there was a girl clutching her towel to herself, scared shitless because of him.

And that girl, Hinata Hyuuga, now fainted and lying on her bedroom floor, consciously knew that there was some guy out there who had just almost seen her naked.

High school never ends.

**XXX**

**NEWSFLASH**

Erm…well? What didja think? I think I still have a few kinks and grammatical errors to work out with it, but so far I'm pleased with the overall result.  
If I'm going to actually continue this story I'd like to see a good response first of all, so please don't be afraid to hit me up with summa those review-y thingies you all LUURRVVEE to give out so much. ;)

Pretty please?

-_**p0g0**_


	2. Chapter 2

**The Denial Twist**

x.x.x

_**p0g0stick**_

Thank you, thank you, thannkk yoouuu guys for the wonderful reviews. (: I was feeling a bit put down from a few personal problems but now I feel fann-tassss-ticc! (: Please don't forget to review though if you do read—it just makes the fic all the more enjoyable for me to write (not like it's not already enjoyable enough!)

On with the fic! (I hope this turns out just as good as the first chapter—that chapter was like my baby )

**EDIT**: I fixed up a few errors I found in Chapter 1, and fiddled around with this one a bit (but not really, because I didn't change anything. XD )

**XXX**

**WARNING**: This is rated M for a reason, mostly because of the strong use of language and possible…er…situations? You have been warned.

**XXX**

**Disclaimer: **Besides my cell phone, the only other thing I own is my new pretty blue nailpolish...YAY NAILPOLISH!

**XXX**

"_Just because she makes you feel wrong, _

_She don't mean to be mean or hurt you on purpose, boy, _

_Take a tip and do yourself a little service,_

_Take a mountain turn it into a mole._"

-_**The Denial Twist**_, **The White Stripes**

**XXX**

Showers were nice.

Sasuke liked them; they were another great time to just think. The other best time to just think was when he was alone in his single bed.

Alone.

Oh, what a wonderful feeling that 'alone' was.

He tilted his head back as the water hit his collarbone.

Of course, he'd never admit to liking showers, maybe only to himself, but he was so full of it that even that would damage his pride.

So he kept this little tidbit a secret even to himself.

He would also keep the secret of what had happened the night before, because, hell, he could only imagine what would happen if such a scandal had been issued across the graduating (graduated) class.

Stepping out of the stall, Sasuke ran his dry towel over his mop of black hair, soaking up the water that had lodged itself into the tendrils.

As he walked, the towel wrapped around his torso, the majority of last night (or this morning, whichever you'd like to call it) came creeping into his mind

Didn't walking into his room, stark naked, bar the towel, seem a bit humorous at this point? It sure made him recall the prior activities, but he tried to avoid what had happened before he had blacked out on the grass, falling asleep.

After he had woken up at dawn, resting upon a patch of grass next to the sidewalk, Sasuke had stood up and dusted the dirt and dead leaves off of his jacket and pants. He ended up shrugging off his jacket; already feeling confined it in from summers approaching humidity.

He had begun to walk home, passing cars and early-morning joggers, and when he was still five blocks away from his house, he gave up and waited on a bus stop, along with an elderly woman and some teenager with his mp3 turned up so loud, it even hurt Sasuke's ears (as sensitive as they were).

Damn teenagers and their damned heavy metal, he was still sure that he hadn't recovered from that.

The towel was dropped to the floor without much care, and Sasuke pulled on a pair of boxer's and an undershirt, not planning on going anywhere today and definitely not planning on going anywhere tonight.

Stupid ass Prom.

It was a waste of time and funds, all for a few hours of happiness and then possibly a few years of regret.

Part of Sasuke wondered if that girl would be going to prom.

Obviously, she was a girl, and as many males knew, girls would rather have bears claw their eyes out than miss the 'wonderful' experience that is prom. She was most likely no different from the rest, no different than Sakura and Ino, or for a matter of fact, any of the other girls in his graduating (graduated…) class.

And then, after lying back down on his bed, another thought popped into his head.

The other part of him wondered if Hinata would be one to tell of what had happened earlier.

This was a good time to rack his mind to all memories of the young girl. She was extremely quiet, that he could determine from her voice and reaction last night (this was a stupid assumption since he was only gathering information from spending a few minutes with the stupid girl), never had sent him threatening love notes (from what he could REMEMBER…) and had never been in many of his classes

"Bullshit, the girl won't tell. I'll never see her again anyway." Sasuke calmly told himself, and half-smiled, smugly, starting to drift off into a thick sleep.

But the images of her naked danced through his mind.

"Fuck off." He grumbled, batting at invisible forces in front of his face.

This time he fell, and stayed, asleep.

However, if one had to listen close enough, one would probably still hear him muttering curses at himself for still thinking about the girl-in-the-towel scene.

**XXX**

Hinata regretted fainting onto the floor, not because there was a chance that Sasuke Uchiha saw her (and really, she didn't care who he was,) just that it must have been embarrassing, falling half-naked in front of a boy…but then again, she was pretty sure he had left before that episode.

Her back hurt now, not to mention her neck, spine and shoulders.

Why couldn't she have stumbled over to her bed and fainted there?

No, she couldn't even faint right; she had to do it all wrong, just like every other thing in her life…up until that moment, that is. Things were going to change after tonight, and she was all too glad to accept them.

When Hinata had gotten up from her unconscious state, she was surrounded by the maids; all with exceedingly worried expressions. Once she sat up, the one right above her head had rushed off to get Neji.

As Neji came, he cringed slightly, and turned back around.

It took Hinata a second to realize that her towel had dropped, and one of the maids instead pulled it back up to her chin to cover her bosom.

That was just what Hinata needed even more—to flash her elder male cousin and the majority of her female help.

The latter wasn't that bad but equally embarrassing, Hinata was a very private person and excruciatingly self-conscious, despite her mature age.

"Get dressed, first, Ms. Hyuuga, then you may talk with Mr. Neji." The maid who had pulled the towel back up offered, and each one began to dissolve away to leave Hinata alone in her doorway. Once she heard their footsteps each begin to fade, Hinata stood up, clutching the towel near her hip and her bust.

Inside her room, she used her foot to close the door until she heard the click and carefully removed her towel, worried for any more intruders.

Maybe this time the Queen of England would pop out of her Vanity and offer her some tea.

She shook her head, smiling at her attempt of a joke.

_Don't be an idiot, Hinata_.

As the towel was removed, she was careful to not look in her large mirror at her reflection. Once she began to develop, she remembered pleading with her father to remove it (the vanity that is), for her embarrassment was too great to even let herself see her body.

But, her father scoffed and told her to grow up, there was nothing wrong with her appearance—hell, girls her age should be begging for their room to be filled with mirrors so they could stare at their reflections. Girls had to look flawless before leaving the vicinity of their room. It was a natural thing.

So then, Hinata thought that she was not natural for not liking to look at her reflection. But the worst part was that she lacked a mother figure to argue on her behalf, to hold her and tell her that it was perfectly natural to not want to look at herself, and that she'd grow mentally and emotionally into this body sooner or later and learn to love it.

Hinata, now clad in pale green panties and a white tank top, began to slip on a pair of cotton navy-blue shorts.

Now she could look at herself in the vanity and not fret about her shoulders, waist, hips, thighs, chest…she was just Hinata.

Sitting down in a chair, she picked up a brush and a bottle of de-tangling spray. She sprayed a generous amount into her hair before smoothing out her tangles and knots. It didn't take long, due to her hair being naturally straight, but since it was so thick she was certain there were more tangles underneath her curtain of hair.

But instead, she separated the hair into three sections and twisted it into one large braid, tying the end with a hair tie.

There was a gentle knock on her door.

"I'm clothed," Hinata called, fingering the tip of her braid.

The door opened, and Neji Hyuuga stepped in, wearing a black shirt and jean pants. His hair was out of its usual ponytail, and his deep brown bangs were covering his silver eyes.

It was weird, the Hyuuga eyes…known throughout the house and the remaining Hyuuga relative. The eyes were a genetic disability of the iris that many people didn't—or wouldn't—understand. At first it was deemed a form of blindness, but in truth it was a well-kept secret that the Hyuuga eyes actually made colors more vibrant and livelier.

Strange, but true, it was nature's way of being ironic; it showed off its sick sense of humor. Lack of color in the iris and no pupil equaled in more vivid colors presented towards the optic nerve and sent in transmissions to the brain…it was all just so complicated, but it had been decided that the disease had just always been there, and slowly developed as the family's generations grew and grew.

"Hinata, what happened to you? You didn't drink at the party, what's up with the fainting?" Neji inquired, watching her moves carefully as he leaned against her wall, eyes flicking between her and the small lamb figurines he detested so much.

"I g-guess it was just exhaustion," Hinata offered, trying to keep her face straight. She was never much of a liar, but there was no way she was going to reveal to Neji—a person she usually trusted a lot of personal information with—what had happened.

She averted her eyes away from him. They would surely give away her lie, despite their lack of emotion.

Neji could read and point out things others could not…maybe it was due to his lack of input…he rarely talked, and when he did actually talk, he didn't talk a lot.

Usually those rare moments when he did, he was scolding or disagreeing with a point made.

"Hm," Neji grunted, and moved to sit on her bed, "I suppose you did seem really tired when I sent you up to shower…"

Hinata nodded slowly, slowly turning her eyes to him, trying to keep her calm.

"Well, you had better get some more sleep before 1:00. It's currently 9:00 am, if I were you I'd make sure you were rested up before you start to get ready." He slowly rose and began to walk towards the door.

"Yes, Neji," She smiled politely, and moved to her bed as he left, sort of like they were playing a game of musical chairs.

"This is going to be a long day," Neji muttered, exiting his cousin's room, "it'll sure as hell be the death of me."

Hinata giggled, slipping underneath her beds covers and drifting off into a light slumber,

She would jump awake every now and then, worried that some dark, brooding man was going to burst through her window.

**XXX**

The phone was ringing.

_BRINGG._

Maybe, just maybe, if he ignored it…it would stop…

_BRINGG._

Maybe it would implode and cease its horrible noise.

_BRI_-**bup**.

The ringing ceased, if only for a moment. Sasuke found himself surrounded in a delicious silence that could only exist when one had awoken to an empty house, on such a relaxing day as this after a long sleep.

Then his answering machine clicked in.

"Don't leave me a message—BEEP."

Sasuke almost laughed at his witty response to the unknown caller's.

"Sasuke! Come on, pick up…please, I'm desperate…you don't understand, the worst possible thing has happened…EVER!" a pause, as Sasuke pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to cease the throbbing pain beginning to form in his head, "PLEASE pick up! I'm begging you; I won't EVER disturb you again, ever! I promise, I'll—I'll make this up to you, I really will—" the answering machine abruptly ended, silencing Naruto Uzumaki.

Sasuke breathed a sigh of relief, closing his eyes again—

BRINGG…

Oh, God, not again.

The answering machine kicked in again after a substantial amount of rings.

"Please, Sasuke, I'm on my knees, I won't stop calling you until you pick up and help…and don't threaten me by telling me you'll take out the phone's cord, because I know despite all of your smarts even YOU couldn't do that…"

It ended again.

Sasuke grunted at Naruto's doubt in his intelligence (he could unplug the phone! He just didn't…feel like getting up…)

And thus began the cycle of the ringing, the answering machine, and the silencing.

Finally, Sasuke, giving into Naruto's pleas, picked up the phone from its cradle.

"What do you want, Naruto?" His voice differed greatly from what he was feeling at the moment, being that he sounded calm and collected.

When really, had Naruto been here, the phone cord would be around his neck...if the phone actually had a cord…

"Oh my God, Sasuke…I didn't get the limo." He sounded like he was going to break down into tears.

Yes, tears.

Tears, which were so rare, especially from Naruto…although he still carried many annoying traits, he had left a lot of his childish nature back in junior high and instead was much more stoic and introverted.

Scratch that. He was anything BUT introverted. His hair even screamed LOUD.

But stoic…that was something even Sasuke could appreciate.

Naruto did always speak his mind, which was a real plus, but sometimes Sasuke didn't mind stone-cold silence, and at least Naruto offered that.

"The what? The fuck, Naruto, how am I supposed to help you?"

"Sakura's expecting a limo, and…oh my God, Sasuke, she'll kill me because I promised her I had this big glossy number, but when I went to book it I didn't have enough money so I started saving, but then the tux and the corsage and the roses…I LOST TRACK OF TIME."

Sasuke backed away from the receiver, the last part was shouted so loudly he was a bit scared about Naruto's mental state.

Sure, he was probably closer with the ass than any other human being, but it wasn't like they had been excruciatingly close.

"What am I supposed to do about it, you nimrod?" Sasuke demanded, his teeth clenched slightly, angry for being pushed into this prom-thing when he had avoided it for so long. He didn't want to have anything to do with it, never had, and knew he never was going to.

"Hook me up, please Sasuke, I'll pay you back, just get me a limo…you have so much money and I know that you're not even using 80 percent of it!"

"You dobe, you were the one who had told me back when we were 16 that if I dropped out I would lose all of my money before I reached 30."

"Damnit…JUST PLEASE HELP ME! After the prom, I will be out of your hair forever, you know that…"

Sasuke sighed.

He made a list of pros and cons in his mind, and witnessed that the pros outweighed the cons—just barely.

"Alright. Get me the number of the company, I'll call, and I want you to come and pick me up at noon. Don't **ever** tell your children how Sasuke Uchiha, the bastard, was never nice to you." He fell backwards onto the mattress, making a mental note of the Limo Services number as Naruto recited it to him.

Why did Sasuke feel as if this whole prom thing was going to lead him into an early grave? It might be just a hunch, but he was usually correct.

**XXX**

"I…It…I…" Hinata was left utterly speechless.

"What is it, Hinata?" Tenten asked, peering over the girls shoulder and into their shared reflections in Tenten's own mirror.

"Well, uhm, Tenten…it looks just…it's not me…" Hinata responded, rather bluntly (well, as blunt as Hinata Hyuuga could be.)

Her hair was fashioned so it was almost folded on top of itself. Her hair was pinned around the top of her head, and allowed the end of it to fall around her face, like her old short haircut she had before she even reached her teenage years.

She would rather not relive her past.

But, she had to admit, it was a nice style (just not on her), and longer than her hair had been when she was younger. Its tips reached her shoulders now, and it was a bit difficult having to adjust for such a sudden change.

Her hair had been long since she had decided to grow it when she was 14. Hinata was sick of being referred to as boyish, and growing up through her teenage years motherless, with a family mainly of males…it did things to you. Sure, when her mother was alive, she would take pride in Hinata's long, silky hair, and brush it day in and day out. But once her mother became deceased, it was as if her father, the second it happened, took Hinata into the kitchen, tied her hair into a messy braid, and chopped it off with a huge pair of sharp kitchen scissors.

She remembered how hard it was to wake up in the morning and feel almost naked without her hair. Her neck was open for the entire world to see, her shoulders were bare, and her ears, her arms, her back…it all felt cold.

Every year or so, her father would go and take her to have her hair cut, get rid of the excess pieces that had grown during those past 12 months.

And Hinata detested him for it. Secretly in her mind, she'd complain about how cousin Neji could keep his long, brown-black hair, or her younger, toddler sister Hanabi, with her beautiful black-as-night hair was able to have it flow freely…and Hinata had to rid herself of hers.

She might as well have shaved her hair and worn boy's clothes.

Luckily enough for her, she had met Tenten on her 14th year, and Tenten had politely scolded Hinata that she was no longer a child, she was growing into a young lady and needed to bring that out more in her appearance ("Of course," the then-younger Tenten added wisely, "if anyone judges you on just your looks, then I'd recommend not hanging out with that person.")

They had been friends ever since.

Sure, Hinata had gotten closer to Sakura and Ino, the four of them were all very close, but no one could separate Hinata and Tenten, especially from that moment onward.

School project for Geography on the Hydrological cycle?

Tenten and Hinata worked on it together.

Science poster on the Periodic Table of Elements?

Tenten and Hinata worked on it together.

Soccer teams in Physical Education?

Tenten and Hinata were on a team (Hinata didn't mind this one a bit, mostly due to her inability to hit the soccer ball…and Tenten? Tenten was a soccer star).

Their birthdays were 3 months apart, although not exactly. Hinata was older than Tenten, but that didn't matter. Up from her 15th birthday to this very day, she had celebrated her birthday with Tenten in the middle of the month of February.

It was strange—Hinata had a younger sister, but she never felt the connection she had with Tenten.

It was sisterly, maybe even bordering on motherly, despite their age difference.

Tenten frowned back at the reflection.

"You're right…" She undid one pin, and a cascade of cobalt fell across Hinata's shoulders and neck.

For all of Tenten's tomboyish ways, she sure did have a very feminine streak when it came to hair and appearance. This was almost comical despite the fact she almost always left her hair in a ponytail or buns, didn't bother wearing skirts or dresses, and don't even get her started on make-up…for if she did, you'd never get her to stop.

"Can't we just leave my hair…how it usually is? Please, Tenten…I don't want anything too extravagant." Hinata gave a pleading look to the mirror.

Tenten shook her head, but the shaking switched to nodding.

"Alright…I love your hair anyway." She patted Hinata's hair, "Now move, I've got to get mine done," she grinned at her friend.

Hinata smiled and wordlessly stood up from the chair and let Tenten sit.

"What are you going to do for your hair, Tenten?" Hinata pondered as she stroked her own hair, untangling any knots that Tenten had left in her wake.

Her friend shrugged, undoing the two parallel buns she had that rested either side of her head.

This was the scariest part about Tenten: how ultimately gorgeous her hair was. Even Hinata admired it to no end. Every time before it was released, the elder girl held her breath just because it made the moment so much more…precious.

The girl's hair fell to the beginning of her waist, and was in long, thick waves.

"Tenten, if you ever cut your hair, I will simply have to murder you!" Hinata gasped.

"I will have to say the same to you, Hina! You're one to talk; I'd give anything for straight hair…" Tenten sighed.

Hinata smiled sympathetically.

"Tenten, many girls would kill for your hair, and you know it. I'm going to change," Hinata withdrew a package from Tenten's closet, and began to move towards her friend's bathroom, which rested directly across the room from the closet.

Tenten made a whimpering 'humph' sound, and then nodded, fooling with her hair.

They had gone dress shopping months ago, and both had bought decently-priced dresses, that each believe suited the other, down to every stitch of thread.

As Hinata removed the dress from the package, she smiled lightly.

This was it.

Tonight was tonight…all the years of preparation to graduate…and now the prom.

Here goes nothing.

**XXX**

Sasuke felt like he was signing his life away, as he scrawled his signature on the cheque.

He put down the pen and gave the cheque to the Limo Service's front desk cashier.

Naruto was brimming with happiness, thankful to at least be on decent terms with the Uchiha enough so that he could help him out of this bind.

"Thank-you, so much Sasuke, I really mean it." Naruto offered.

"Hn," was all Sasuke sent back to the blonde, and put his wallet back into his dark denim jean pockets.

The duo began to walk out of the dealership and towards Naruto's car.

"So…you still are not going to prom, huh?"

Sasuke shot him a look, but kept his head forward.

"No."

Naruto's shoulders sagged, "Come on, I know it's not the most exciting thing…but won't you miss everyone? This is your last chance to see any one of these people…EVER!"

They reached Naruto's car and the conversation was paused as both climbed in, and Naruto turned the key in its slit, listening as the car purred to life.

Sasuke stared straight forward at the street, buckled into Naruto's car in the passenger seat.

Naruto drove.

There was utter silence until Naruto slowly broke it.

"Is it...because you don't have a date? I know you haven't socialized much in t—"

"I. Am. Not. Going. To **PROM**." Sasuke growled, clenching his teeth, "I am not going because I don't _want_ to, nothing more and nothing less than that one reason, and that one reason only. Alright?" He looked at his comrade who was now steering them into a bit of a traffic buildup.

_Obviously_, countered Naruto in his mind, _this is a very touchy subject for Sasuke_.

_Sigh._

"Fine, then…end of discussion." Naruto smirked ahead at the traffic, as he slowly lifted his foot off of the accelerator.

Sasuke stared dumbly at his acquaintance.

Then he noticed the smirk…

Oh, God…

"If you're gay, just tell me Sasuke…it's nothing to be ashamed of…I'm sure your boyfriend will be welcome at prom!"

Obviously this was the funniest thing in the entire world because Naruto was laughing harder than a hyena.

"Shut up, asswipe," Now Sasuke was started to get really angry. He had just paid rent on a fucking limo for this guy!

"I didn't hear a denial!" Naruto chimed, laughing to himself as he edged further up the line of traffic.

"You ass, I get you a limo and this is how you thank me? You're lucky I'm not making you pay me back with interest," Sasuke growled, folding his arms against his chest, and struggling to keep them there for fear of strangling the loudmouth.

That remark probably caught Naruto's attention, because now the young man's jaw had dropped slightly.

"Sorry, Sasuke…but it's true…you've never even been with a girl, from what I can remind you…not even a guy, at least…not that I've known of…did you ever date some secretly behind our backs?"

These questions were getting too personal for Sasuke's taste.

"Never dated someone, and I never want to…relationships are trouble, I've observed." He groused.

"But sometimes they are the best thing in the world…" Naruto looked at Sasuke, and Sasuke caught his eye.

Naruto's eyes held something?

Was it…sympathy?

"Don't contradict me, dobe." Sasuke muttered, as he turned and stared out of the passenger window.

"You're so fucking stubborn," hissed Naruto, hitting the gas too hard and swerving down a street, getting angry at the traffic.

"I'm stubborn? You have been pestering me about prom all day, and since I can remember you have been asking me about my goddamn personal life!"

"Well sorry for being worried about you!" Naruto groused, racing down the street.

"I never asked you to be." Sasuke retorted, glaring at his own translucent reflection in the window.

He was so sick of all of this, ready to jump on the next plane and fly away from this town.

That's when he noticed the neighborhood they were in…

Why did it seem so familiar…?

It was like any other neighborhood…trees….more trees…houses; too large and too ordinary…all painted the same pale colors, one after the other…

"Where the hell are we going, Naruto?"

"I had to stop by Neji Hyuuga's house and tell him I got the limo."

"The fuck? Why couldn't he have gotten the limo?! That guy is loaded!" Sasuke's eyes bore holes through Naruto's head.

Then, right then, sitting in Naruto's car, full to the brim of old clothes, fast food containers and old paper's…

Sasuke Uchiha had an epiphany…

Neji Hyuuga was Hinata Hyuuga's fucking _cousin_.

Oh dear God…

Please don't let her come out when he's there, if she did he'd fucking die…

And then he'd imagine her naked for the hundredth time that day.

That bitch! Every single **fucking** time he closed his eyes…

Couldn't get her annoying as shit voice out of his head, or her empty, creepy eyes…

And her body!

_Shut up, mind…shut up_!

She was nothing special, no interesting qualities, nothing, _nothing_, _**nothing**_!

Good. Now that's settled…

"Well, Neji couldn't lend me any money…his uncle's away and he said he couldn't dip into the savings anymore, especially after last night's party…"

Oh God, the party. Stop it, Sasuke…look natural. The dobe never suspects anything anyway.

"You okay? You look tense…" Naruto inquired, pulling over, right next to those huge white gates…

"Fine! I am…just. Fine." Sasuke squirmed in his seat.

THE BOY KNEW! _THE BOY KNEW_!

"Al...Right…" Naruto gave him an odd look, and got out of the car, "wanna come in?" he asked Sasuke, before he closed the door.

You knew something was wrong with you when you had Naruto Uzumaki giving you weird looks.

"NO! No, I'm fine…" Sasuke assured him, trying to look at something to keep his interest in.

Never again was he entering that house…no matter how hard anyone asked or pleaded.

Ahh.

A breath of relief, as his nerves calmed themselves.

Outside it was sunny, bright, trees were swaying in the early summer wind, and the streets were completely empty…

Unless…

Wait…

There was a car pulling up, coming in the opposite direction him and Naruto had headed…

Oh, fuck Sasuke Uchiha twice…

Hinata was in that car.

**XXX**

"Oh no…Tenten!" Hinata called out, stepping out of Tenten's closet, her deep lavender dress swishing as she moved.

It was definitely what Hinata wouldn't have (and would have at the same time) picked out for herself. She preferred neutral colors, or darker ones.

Ones that didn't stand out.

But Ino had insisted she get this one, especially once Tenten called her up from the changing room, had her race down to the mall, and had her convince Hinata to buy it.

It would have been strapless, if it didn't posses the thin spaghetti straps on either side. The dress was tight up by the bodice, and once it hit her hips, it puffed out a bit, ending just at her kneecap.

But it wasn't the dress that was causing little Hinata some problems, in fact, it still fit her perfectly from the day they had bought it, not tighter and not baggier.

In fact, it fit like a glove.

"What is it, Hinata?" Tenten rushed over, in the midst of adjusting her own dress, tying the top. She was wearing a dress with a halter, almost similar to Hinata's, only hers was tighter and more form-fitting.

And it was red.

(No comment.)

"My…my shoes, Tenten…I think I left them home!"

"But that's impossible, Hinata, didn't you buy them when you were with me?"

"Yes, I did, but then I took them home because you already had my dress in your closet…"

Tenten sighed.

"Ahh, Hina…okay, then let's go get them."

"Ah! Tenten…but…you're already dressed…Neji will see you…"

"We're only going to prom, Hina. Not like we're getting married."

"Right…" Hinata nodded, and followed Tenten, as she watched her friend retrieve her old car keys that rested atop the vanity.

"Thank God we still have a lot of time." Tenten said, drifting down the hallway, and slipping on a pair of tennis shoes.

Hinata had to laugh at her friend, clad in a very sophisticated red dress…and wearing running sneakers.

**XXX**

Sasuke gulped uncharacteristically as the two female figures removed themselves from the car. One was wearing a striking red dress that popped against her long, deep brown hair.

The other, obviously Hinata, was wearing a light purple-colored dress.

It looked okay on her. Nothing special.

He couldn't figure out who the other girl was, though.

Oh well.

Sasuke slid down beyond the dashboard, avoiding any unwanted stares from the pair. Hopefully they wouldn't come and inspect the car…

He relaxed as they walked right by Naruto's car without much notice, surprisingly, since they had pulled up right in front of it?

Maybe they knew it was Naruto's car and didn't have to look inside?

Maybe luck was on his side.

For extra precautions, though…Sasuke knocked on Naruto's dashboard.

It wasn't wood, but it'd suffice.

**XXX**

Inside the gates of the Hyuuga compound, Tenten and Hinata began to walk up to the door. Before they reached it, however, Naruto Uzumaki and Neji Hyuuga came strolling out.

"You asked Uchiha for help?" Neji grimaced.

"Who else could I? You already told me no…and I couldn't think of anyone else! Plus, Sasuke's my friend…I think…" Naruto spoke earnestly, and then spotted a girl and Hinata ahead of him.

"Hello!" The girl chirped happily.

"Ten…ten?" Neji looked shocked.

"Sorry, we need to get Hinata's shoes!" Tenten said, ignoring her prom date's stare.

Hinata laughed quietly to herself.

Tenten never took her hair out, not even when she was sleeping. The only times it was out was when she was taking a shower or brushing it, and Hinata was with her during the latter due to the sleepovers they had. Tenten never went to bed without brushing her hair.

Never.

Tenten rushed in, pulling Hinata.

"Did you see Neji? He looked like a fish!" Hinata was giggling more openly now, finding this very humorous.

"Ha-ha, Hina, now find your shoes!" Tenten edged her on, waiting outside of Hinata's room.

"Found them!" Hinata cried triumphantly, holding a pair of heels in a deep midnight-blue color. On the strap they had tiny jewels that glittered in the hallway's light.

"Excellent." Tenten smiled at her friend, and the duo now took their time stepping down the two flights of stairs to the bottom floor.

"What time is it now, Tenten?" Hinata asked, as they began to descend the final stairs in the last flight.

Tenten checked her watch.

"Quarter past 3. I guess we still have a bit of time…sorry I rushed you with getting your shoes…" Tenten laughed, and they neared the threshold of the doorway, noting that both Naruto and Neji were still there, talking quietly to each other.

"S-sorry about that," Hinata smiled, as her and Tenten walked right through the two young men.

"Wait! Tenten!" Neji called, jogging after her.

"Hm?" The girl turned and looked at him, Hinata, who was ahead of Tenten looked back also and halted; listening to what her cousin had to say.

"Naruto, for lack of his brains, actually got us the limo!" His face broke out into a happy smile.

"Really?" Tenten smiled slightly also, looking back at Naruto, "for real?"

Naruto nodded excitedly, still a bit stunned at Tenten's change of clothing and hairstyle,

"Yup! But you have to promise not to tell Sakura I never had one…" Naruto pleaded, zipping his forefinger and thumb over his mouth in a quick motion.

Tenten laughed.

"Got it," the young girl replied, and turned to her friend who had been patiently waiting, "alright, we gotta jet, these sneakers are rubbing blisters into my heels." To prove a point, Tenten took her red, calloused heels out of the sneakers.

Then she trailed after Hinata who began moving again.

"Wait!" Neji called out for the second time, and both him and Naruto caught up to the girls and began walking.

"Firstly, you should know who Naruto had to use to get the limo…" Neji began, nodding towards Naruto.

"Well it was—"

"What is Sasuke Uchiha doing in your car, Naruto?" Tenten inquired, interrupting the young man.

"Uu-Uh-Uchiha?" Hinata sputtered, damn her uncontrollable stuttering.

_I thought that…why is he…oh_! Hinata cursed herself and her luck.

"Hinata, are you alright? Your entire face is beetroot!" Tenten laughed, then her mouth formed a surprise 'o', "and the tips of your ears!"

"Wh-why did Sasuke help with the limo?" Hinata asked, turning to Naruto. She felt another wave of heat spread across her face.

Oh God, what if Sasuke had told Naruto while they were in the car?

_What if Naruto knew_!

Knew that Sasuke had seen her almost completely _**naked**_!

Oh, the utter embarrassment!

What if Naruto told Neji? And Neji told his best friend, Lee? What if everyone knew?!

This was utterly mortifying.

Naruto laid a hand on her shoulder.

"What's wrong Hinata? Afraid of the big-bad Sasuke?" He cracked a smile, enjoying at how some people were just terrified of Sasuke's bitter and stoic nature.

She felt like she was going to faint.

Maybe that's why she did.

**XXX**

**NEWSFLASH!**

Ooh! I don't like that ending a lot…it doesn't seem to flow too well and it's all jagged-y…ha-ha, and I know this chapter seemed pretty pointless, but it will all matter in the end! I also screwed around with their ages a bit, if you noticed, and around with the Hyuuga history...I hope it all seemed clear. Also...the time bit was slightly muddled up...

So, anyway, I won't ramble on, but this was supposed to be posted on Sunday afternoon, sadly, I found out I had like five presentations and orals and whatnot due like…today (which is Tuesday).

Then all of those things got postponed until NEXT week so I was sort of like, "hurrah!" and got cracking.

But then it took longer than anticipated.

And there are probably a lot of errors I need to go back and check on…but I felt like being a good updater.

So, enough of me never shutting up P: just click that little purple button to keep my muse's engine purring!

_**-p0g0**_

P.S. Sorry if I hinted like…Hyuugacest with that flashing. But I was mildly entertained by it. (: I also hope you enjoyed that tidbit about the eyes. I made that junk up at the last minute. Hooray for weird, why-do-I-remember-this-shit-about-eyes from Grade 9 Biology! confetti. 

P.P.S. **AND I THINK TENTEN WOULD LOOK PURTY IN RED.** :(

P.P.P.S. And I liked the part where Sasuke rapped on the dashboard. (:

P.P.P.P.S. WHUTT HINATA FAINTS AGAIN? D:


	3. Chapter 3

**The Denial Twist**

x.x.x

_**p0g0stick**_

**EEP! **Yes, this was the noise I made every single time I read a review. :D Thank you guys soooo much, you are all so kind. (: (: Really, I mean it, you guys rock. (And thanks to everyone who has given me pointers—forgot to mention you guys! A double triple thanks to everyone who favorite-d and added this story to their alerts, and especially to Pottery Princess…you were sooo wonderfulll. :3!)

So, anyways, I had to pay the doctor a wee visit today (Wednesday), and had to get all the regular things (for a check-up, you know? EEEK…I hate getting my blood pressure done because it's uncomfortable…) and I have this infection-thingy, so now I'm loaded up on pills. Double eek. And then I had to get a shot (triple EEK, it hurt so much, -tear-).

I go back on Friday. D:

On the bright side…I'm missing school! Ha-ha, I don't suppose I should be missing school so much since it's like my senior year…but hey, it's giving me a lot of time to work on the fic.

I'm really happy you all liked the last chapter…three is my lucky number, so let's see how this one turns out! (I'm rambling again, lo siento).

**XXX**

**WARNING:** This is rated M for a reason, mostly because of the strong use of language and possible…er…situations? You have been warned.

**XXX**

**Disclaimer**: Alright, now I own antibiotics, a cell phone and nail polish. WAY TO GO, ME!

**XXX**

_"__And if you think that our dance was all in the hips,_

_Oh well, then do the twist._

_If you think holding hands is all in the fingers,_

_Grab hold of the soul where the memory lingers__"_

-_**The Denial Twist**_, **The White Stripes**

**XXX**

Did that Hyuuga girl actually FAINT when she had caught his eye?

It hadn't been that embarrassing...the encounter they had…had it?

Sasuke groaned and sunk down into the car seat again, regretting every single decision he had made today.

First, let's start with the morning (or the night? What time had he actually gotten locked out at?), and how he stupidly forgot his watch, his cell phone, his ride to and from the party, how he had stupidly gotten locked out because he was too much of a social outcast to mingle with the rest of his peers, then how he had seen the aforementioned Hyuuga girl clad only in a towel.

Oh, and lest he not forget how he had passed out next to the sidewalk in an unfamiliar neighborhood, how he had accepted Naruto Uzumaki's stupid pleas…

Basically, he was just in an even sourer mood than earlier.

That was obvious, as one could see his jaw tightening and his nostrils flaring out slightly.

He admitted, when the girl had walked out and seen him, flocked by the rest of their little 'crew' (a crew Sasuke would have been a part of, he decided, had he been an idiot) he even had felt a creeping hot sensation rising up his neck and spreading across his cheeks and nose.

Maybe his mouth had gotten slightly dry, and his lips felt chapped.

But he quickly ceased it, licking his lips and swallowing his spit.

Because it was all nonsense, that's why. And you can be assured, if Sasuke Uchiha was to EVER hold a relationship with someone (not like he would…it's only an IF, the chance of Sasuke Uchiha getting together with some girl was…was like Naruto getting accepted into Princeton, despite his intelligence…it just wasn't something that was going to happen), Sasuke would have to fall for this person (ugh,) as long as they had the kind of personality he was looking for, and didn't BLUSH annoyingly and stutter whenever he spoke to them.

Sasuke wanted to try and avoid her, really…he really, really wanted to, mostly because, hell…he wasn't supposed to have seen ANY of those people from his class again, and he was supposed to have just ignored this whole prom thing (which we realized ages ago, but this was all that Sasuke could think of).

Now, he peered up over the dashboard and the wipers of the car's front window screen.

The girl was being helped up by the rest of the group, rubbing her head slightly, her face twisted in pain.

That was her fault, though…if she had just pushed that incident to the back of her mind like he did…

Only he actually hadn't…

_Shut up, brain._

He sat up straighter now, noticing that the group was looking anywhere besides the car.

Now, the girl was leaning against Naruto, while her other female friend was holding up fingers or some shit, whatever.

Then Hinata answered back to her female friend, and the trio, bar Hinata, burst out laughing.

It made Sasuke sick.

Slowly, he watched as the young girls eyes slowly turned, and met his. They both held a long stare, his deep, blue-black iris' boring into her own pearls.

She blushed.

He frowned ferociously.

She glared back.

Now he was dumbstruck. Wasn't she embarrassed by him?

Then he became angry.

She shouldn't glare at him! What the hell did he do to her? She locked those doors (well, he couldn't say it was her, it could have been anyone…but Sasuke was on a roll,) she was the one who came into the room IN A TOWEL, the one who had those stupid figurines of lambs, that stupid white room…

What a little B—

**XXX**

Hinata sighed mournfully. The second time she had fainted in the past 24 hours! How stupid was she?

As she stirred, her vision became less blurred and colors began to pop out, the reds, blues and yellows…all the primary colors, followed by the secondary, tertiary and so on…everything became so gloriously colorful…

It was strange, if her world was so colorful…how come she couldn't be the one to look through everything in rose-colored glasses?

Then she noticed the incredibly sharp pain in the back of her head.

Hinata gasped, cringing at the immense pain, far worse than before.

Luckily, she had fainted on the grass. If it hadn't been the grass, and instead the concrete sidewalk…

Well, we won't think about those circumstances.

Three sets of arms all wrapped themselves around her, slowly bringing her to her feet, clutching her tightly as her own knees buckled.

She leaned against the figure to her right, Naruto Uzumaki.

"I can't…believe…I fainted again…"

"Again?" Naruto inquired, staring down at his petite classmate, "when else did you faint?"

"She fainted earlier today; around the very, very early hours of the morning…we actually hadn't found her until about 4:00 am when one of our maids had gone to check on Hanabi…"

"Wow, Hina, what happened?" Tenten asked,

"Just tired…that's all…" Hinata felt a large lump rising in her throat…

_Don't cry, don't cry, why the hell would I cry?_

So…did that mean that Naruto didn't know? Or was he taunting her?

"Aww…poor Hina…tell me, how many fingers am I holding up?" Tenten asked, holding up three fingers, her thumb, index and middle.

"I don't care," Hinata grumbled very impolitely, causing her friends to give out a light laugh, all three finding it slightly humorous.

As the three laughed, Hinata decidedly looked at the Uchiha whilst they were distracted.

The duo locked eyes, and she felt her pulse quicken as her heart hammer against her ribcage, like a bird trying to get out of its own confinement.

Her cheeks heated up for what seemed like the millionth time that day as she searched through his black, lackluster eyes.

Then, of all the rotten, evil, jerk things to do…

He actually glared at her!

His gaze was seething, and it almost scared her…

Almost.

So instead, she sucked up all the courage she could muster (which, surprisingly, was a lot), and glared right back at him.

It wasn't her fault if he hated her, he was obviously being very immature, because if she _did_ remember correctly (and believe her, she **did**)…it was HE who was stupid enough to get locked out, and it was HE who had trespassed into HER room.

Why should he embarrass her? Why should she just sit down and take it as it were?

His face altered…was that…surprise? Shock?

Then Hinata felt guilty about the glare, and looked away. Being mean wasn't in her nature, nor was being cruel. Maybe it was just because she was PMS-ing?

Guys have it so much easier.

"Wow…Hinata…what up with the glare?" Naruto asked, despite that she had turned away.

They all looked towards Naruto's car.

"Are you…glaring at Sasuke?" Neji inquired with a disgusted grimace on his face.

"Ah! N-no, why would I?" Hinata stared up at her elder cousin, his eyes searching her face for signs of a fib.

"Well, I suppose I should get going," Naruto announced, directing the attention away from Hinata, "should I tell Sasuke you guys said thank-you?" the young man pondered, looking back at his friend in the car.

Sasuke was lost in thought, staring down at his lap.

Weird.

Tenten and Neji nodded, "Yeah, sure…it was his money after all," the young girl added.

"Alright, see you all tonight…get some rest, Hinata," Naruto laughed, waving the trio good-bye as he walked towards his car.

His entrance must have scared Sasuke out of whatever thoughts he was having, because once Naruto opened the car door, the other young man jumped about a foot in the air.

"What the fuck were you thinking about?" Naruto asked, switching gears from NEUTRAL/PARK to DRIVE.

"What? Nothing," Sasuke groused, glaring daggers outside the window as a blur of trees and houses passed by.

"Well then, what the fuck did you do to Hinata?" Naruto inquired, his eyes staying on the wide stretch of road in front of him. Sasuke seemed a bit jumpy, definitely out of his usual cool and composed attitude.

"What are you talking about, dobe?"

_That's it…just brush it off,__ Sasuke…that idiot won't suspect a __**thing**_

"Jesus, Sasuke, I've never seen Hinata look that angry…and don't give me some bullshit reason, that girl has never looked at anyone the way she looked at you."

"How do you know it was directed towards me?" Calm. Cool. Collected.

"Well, it could have been you or the fuckin' Easter Bunny in the back seat, but I wasn't entirely sure!"

"I don't know, you fucktard! Drop the topic." Sasuke hissed, focusing all of his anger into the back of his mind, where it hopefully wouldn't resurface.

And the topic was, indeed, dropped.

"By the way…" Naruto offered, after a few minutes of silence, "They all say thanks for getting us the limo."

Sasuke grunted.

**XXX**

"So, seriously, Hina…what was up with that glare? The last time I saw you look that angry was when Hanabi knocked over your favorite figurine the year before last."

Hinata blushed, embarrassed, having to remember that horrible scene.

When that horrible ordeal had taken place, Tenten had been over for a sleepover, and Hanabi had been trying to show off to the elder girl, as Hanabi always did when Hinata brought friends over, and ended up throwing the figurine out of Hinata's window...

But that was a different story for a different time, Hinata concluded.

"He glared at me first," The girl answered after a few minutes, and then paused again.

"I suppose…glaring back was my way of retaliating…?"

"Eh, that Uchiha was always a shady character," Tenten shrugged, stretching out her arms, "always in such a bitter mood. I could never figure out why the entire female population at school…Sakura and Ino included, could like such an arrogant person like him."

The duo was back in Tenten's room; Hinata was sitting at the vanity, trying to cool off, (she was sweating so profoundly that her hair was sticking to her skin) whilst Tenten was removing her sneakers from her feet.

"Ugh, gross…my tennis smell so bad…I hope these blisters won't worsen when I have to wear my shoes tonight."

Hinata laughed, tying her hair into a bun, and brushing back her bangs.

"I wonder when Sakura and Ino will get here…" The girl wondered, turning away from the mirror's reflection.

Tenten shrugged.

"You know them…'fashionably' late for everyone and everything."

"Yeah…"

**XXX**

"Ugh, Sakura! We were supposed to meet up with Hinata and Tenten an hour ago!" A very perturbed Ino Yamanaka whined.

"Shut up! I'm trying to find my goddamned eye-shadow…I hope you've brought all of your supplies, because I know that Tenten and Hina don't have a single application brush!" shouted an equally frustrated voice beneath a mountain of junk.

Ino groaned.

"Of course I brought all of my makeup…I was prepared, for once!"

"Shut up, Pig…I am always prepared, you know that! It's not my fault that Temari asked to borrow my favorite eye-shadow, and then returned it when I wasn't home! You know my mother can't tell where to put my things…" The voice emerged from the pile of junk, swishing her pink bangs away from her red face.

"Only a few more months, Sakura, then we'll be away from here."

"Thank God…" Sakura Haruno groaned, brushing back the tresses that had fallen in front of her eyes.

"Yes. Now, let's go!" The blonde began to move towards Sakura's room entrance. The color in her friend's room was beginning to annoy her, as it always did when she felt she had been trapped inside the area for a long amount of time.

(HINT: Two walls were a bright, neon pink and the other two were a bright yellow when Sakura had gone through some..."nutty" color-phase.)

"Alright, alright…" Sakura sighed in defeat, "If I don't find that eye shadow before September, someone's going to pay."

"Stop being so dramatic," the elder Ino groaned, walking down the hallway with Sakura right on her tail.

"You do realize how much of that lazy Nara has rubbed off on you, right Pig?"

"Do _YOU_ realize how much of that annoying Uzumaki has rubbed off on _YOU_, forehead girl?"

"Shut up."

**XXX**

It was true, though, Ino couldn't deny how much of Shikamaru had actually rubbed off on her.

As the pair sat in Ino's car, driving down the road to Tenten's house, the elder girl was impossibly lost in thought.

The couple had been together since the middle of their sophomore year. It was strange when they had announced their relationship; many didn't believe it at first, since Ino had always—and everyone had assumed she still did—vied for Sasuke Uchiha.

Although, Ino didn't think that Shikamaru wasn't far from the Uchiha. He brooded, had dark eyes and hair, kept to himself mostly unless he had something to say (which was usually a complaint, but Ino didn't mind…in fact, she found that almost attractive), and was about the same height as the Uchiha, could have been the same weight, until Sasuke lost a lot of his.

Take **that**, high school rumors.

But now, she found, as they were nearing the end…did she want to keep seeing him?

The answer was, and always would be; YES! Of course!

He made her feel comfortable in her own skin. She didn't have to dress up in body-baring clothes, wear sweet-smelling perfume or any make-up to please him, to make him want her…

Even after she had visited him after the gym in her sweats, hair a mess, tied up in a ragged pony tail, drenched in her own sweat and water…he had pulled her into his lap, stroked her tangled hair and told her she was beautiful.

A boy had never, ever done that before.

She always felt like she had to make an effort, but with Shikamaru, she needn't bother.

And the best part was that he actually told her she didn't have to make any effort, that he loved her for her amazing personality, her stubborn attitude…even if she wore a paper bag, he'd find her the most attractive girl on the surface of the earth.

Just because she was who she was, inside and out.

"Stop daydreaming, Ino!" Sakura growled, "The light's been green for 3 minutes!"

Luckily for Ino, no cars had pulled up behind her.

She accelerated and moved forward.

The problem, though, was that Ino wasn't one for long-distant relationships. She wanted something—or someone—she could touch and feel, and be held by.

So after tonight, after this summer…what would she and the genius conclude?

Stay together or leave it be?

She really didn't want to find out.

**XXX**

Sakura Haruno hated how lately Ino would space out right in the middle of doing something important.

Like driving.

She had been telling Ino to move ages before she actually snapped back to reality.

At this rate, when they got to Tenten's they wouldn't have time to get dressed, do their friends make-up and their own, and lastly have Tenten do Sakura's hair.

But what irritated Sakura more than anything was that she knew Ino was actually daydreaming about.

That Shikamaru guy again.

Sure, at the beginning of their relationship, Sakura had grown used to this daydreaming business. Ino had been so over the moon, and she let her keep it.

Now Sakura could focus more on Sasuke.

But…it felt pointless without a rival.

Not to mention that Sakura and Shikamaru didn't get along that well.

He found her too critical, too organized and too…everything Ino wasn't.

Sakura felt like she had lost her best friend to some guy whom she knew didn't appreciate Ino one bit. Ino stopped wearing make-up, stopped gossiping with Sakura…

Luckily for her, Ino still was obsessed with make-up and fashion…she just didn't care about her appearance so much.

It was so simple to Ino, why didn't Sakura seem to get it?

At the beginning of the year, though, Sakura had thought she'd found a replacement for the empty space Ino had left (not physically left, but emotionally) inside Naruto Uzumaki.

And she really had. Naruto treated Sakura just like Shikamaru treated Ino.

But Sakura couldn't quite put a finger on what was wrong in their relationship…hell, they had spent last night's party making out in one of the many Hyuuga guest rooms, and it wasn't like Naruto was a bad kisser, it was just the opposite—he was fantastic.

He was fantastic to her.

Holding her when she was scared, stroking her hair and kissing her forehead (which HE didn't find large) to comfort her, this was all made up her strong feelings for the boy.

But there were sometimes…sometimes when Sakura Haruno would stare up at her bedroom ceiling, late at night…and be left with such an emptiness, an emptiness that Naruto couldn't fill in their relationship…that she felt that Naruto equaled to all of the pieces to her puzzle, except for one.

And that was why she made sure they never took their relationship too far.

The good thing was that Naruto seemed alright with that, he was different from other teenage boys. He wasn't with her for sex, intimacy…he was with her because she made him feel happy.

So why was it that there were times when she was with him…and didn't feel happy?

**XXX**

"Oh my God, Tenten…you look stunning!" Ino complemented, wrapping the girl in a sisterly embrace.

"You look…fantastic!" Sakura agreed, also hugging her friend, "simply gorgeous, red really does work for you!"

"You guys…" Tenten laughed, returning the hugs, "we only have two hours until the boys come for us!" she scolded, sighing, taking their bags up to her room as the duo followed suit behind her.

"Sorry, Sakura couldn't find her eye-shadow…" Ino groused, looking at Sakura.

"Are you serious? Sakura, Ino probably has enough eye-shadow to fill a large swimming pool!"

"Look, it's my favorite eye-shadow, Temari borrowed it because she had a date with some guy from her office, and she really wanted to use it…"

They entered Tenten's room.

"How is Temari doing these days?" Hinata chirped, hugging both Ino and Sakura as a greeting.

"Oh, Hina, you look so cute!" Ino cooed, stroking the younger girl's hair.

"She's good, she and Kankuro are working together in some insurance office up in the city," Sakura replied as she and Ino returned the hugs.

"That's wonderful," Hinata exclaimed, sitting down on Tenten's bed, "I suppose you guys will have to start getting ready soo—"

"Way ahead of you!" Ino announced, fleeing to the bathroom with her bag.

Sakura sighed, Tenten and Hinata giggled.

"So, let's see your dress, eh Sakura?" Tenten offered, changing the subject.

"Ah!" Sakura's green eyes lit up instantly, "I was going to get pink…then red…thank God I didn't," she laughed, eyeing Tenten, "so instead…I got…" the dress was removed from its sheath, a long (it would probably just graze past her ankles) elegant green number, strapless and form-fitting, with slits that would probably end just a few inches above her knees.

Small jewels slid across the top, and down the sides, along the slits.

The dress was simply gorgeous.

Both girls gasped in awe.

"Oh, Sakura…" Hinata began, "I-It's…I-I…its beautiful…"

Sakura smiled widely, "Thank-you, Hina."

"I have to agree with Hinata. This dress…it's wonderful, Sakura, and that's something coming from me." Tenten grinned, still eyeing the wonderful creation.

"Done!" Ino opened the bathroom door, revealing her own dress, halter-top, deep midnight blue, which when in the light, shimmered like the night sky full of stars. The dress was slinky, but ended just below her knees, as it flared out slightly giving her room to walk and stretch.

Her long blonde hair tumbled down to her upper arms in very loose waves, but only from being held up in a high ponytail. Had she left it out, it would be almost as straight as Hinata's, and had she not cut it before winter break, it would have been just as long as Tenten's.

"Now, it's time to fix this disastrous hair," Ino smiled, walking past her friends to the vanity.

"Oh, Ino, your dress is so pretty," Hinata gushed, admiring Ino's dress as she had Sakura's. Tenten nodded in agreement, as Sakura smiled happily at her friend.

"Better go and change, Sakura," Tenten spoke to the younger girl, ushering her towards the bathroom, "we need to hurry up!"

Ino began brushing her hair back, higher and higher she strung it out and eventually tied it into a messy, yet classy, bun. She plugged in her straightener and curler, after having retrieved them from her bag.

"Come here, Hina, let me do your make-up whilst I wait for these two buggers to heat up." She laughed, and Hinata obeyed, sitting cross-legged in front of her elder friend.

Tenten sat on her bed, and stared at the duo, feeling her heart swell.

Prom, as much as she hated to admit it, really did mean a lot to her…and always would. No matter how much of a tomboy she was.

**XXX**

Sasuke Uchiha was pacing around his room angrily.

Ever since Naruto dropped him off at his house, he had felt restless, like a caged animal.

The duo hadn't exchanged many words, except for Sasuke's, '_Thanks,_' Naruto's, '_No problem, thank __**you**_', and then Naruto had driven off.

Sasuke then drank a glass of water, but it seemed to have triggered something inside of him. Now, he roamed aimlessly around his house, thinking of ways to get rid of this disease he had picked up.

He went for a walk, bought some trashy Gossip magazines, skipped through them, watched some trashy talk shows and then some sitcoms, including a few that made him twitch, especially when one of the female characters walked out of her bathroom in her apartment, and one of her best friend's boyfriends.

"Fuck. This." Sasuke had grumbled, throwing the television remote onto the floor, shattering it into three pieces, spilling the two batteries at the same time.

He wondered if his classmates would be arriving at the hotel ballroom where the Prom was being held.

He wondered if they would be taking photos with each other, gushing over dresses and complaining about the prices of the tuxedo's they had to rent…

About the limo's they had to make their wealthy friend buy…

Sasuke wondered if who Hinata was going with. If he'd hold her, dance with her, and kiss her…Sasuke wondered, if she would stay with this boy, build a relationship with him…tell him that Sasuke Uchiha had almost seen her nude…

"Stop thinking shit, Sasuke…" but deep inside of him, a voice called out, '**Go and see her at prom. Go on. One last time. Apologize even…why don't you do that? Apologize to her…**'

"Fuck that," Sasuke grumbled, relaxing into his recliner.

After a minute or two, he succumbed to something he didn't think he ever would have, in all of his teenage years,

"I…" Sasuke began, opening his eyes widely, "…am going out for a drink."

The emptiness of his house protested with its deadly silence.

**XXX**

"And I was scared that the boys were going to beat us here!" Ino protested, running her fingers through her bangs as they ran diagonally across her face.

She brushed them out of her eyes and clipped them back with two jeweled barrettes.

Sakura sighed, brushing a light coating of a smooth pale pink blush across her cheeks.

"And they are the ones who barely have to do anything! Just get on a suit, brush their hair and they are done." She grumbled, placing the blush compact down onto the vanity, "Done." She smiled at her reflection, as flawless as it was.

Tenten had pulled the front sections of Sakura's pink hair to the back, and held it together with a large, silver butterfly clip. The back of her friend's hair and the front part that had been clipped back fell forward onto the girls shoulders and collarbone.

"Good, now Tenten, sit there so I can do your make-up," Ino grinned wickedly, as Tenten cringed.

"Can't I go without make-up…?"

"Nope!" Sakura smiled, forcing Tenten into the chair once she had risen.

"Alright, but I get to do my eyeliner…I hate it when other people do my eyeliner, you both know that."

The duo nodded.

Hinata giggled as she stared outside onto the street at the front of Tenten's house.

The window was slightly ajar, and the cool twilight air flooded in, lifting Hinata's hair strands carefully.

She watched as along the sidewalk, a tall, lean figure walked by, slightly illuminated by the fading sunlight.

Once the figure had passed Tenten's front gates, the street lights flickered on, and the wind howled.

Hinata leaned against the window's sill, tracing patterns in the mid-air.

_I wonder who that was…_she wondered as the stars began to appear, and her fingers connected them together

"Ah! I see the limo's headlights!" Sakura jumped up, grinning.

Hinata had totally bypassed that, not realizing that the whole time she had been off in her own little world, that the white limo had pulled in, its body gleaming, and its windows tinted so darkly that one couldn't even see who was inside.

**XXX**

"Man, this fucking suit itches worse than the graduation gown and cap," Naruto whined, itching at his sleeve.

"Not our fault that you had decided to only wear your boxers and an undershirt last night." Neji commented, running a hand through his long brown hair.

The young man took a hair tie and bunched up his hair at the nape of his neck, tying it loosely together.

His bangs fell across his face, slicing through his silver eyes. Though, at first, he had found it annoying, he learned to adjust to them…in fact, he almost felt naked when they were brushed away.

"Well, no one told me that we wouldn't have time to go home and change before the party…" Naruto pouted, ruffling his blonde hair so that it was messy…yet sophisticated.

"Man," Kiba emerged from Neji's restroom, "this suit fucking itches…"

"Thank-you!" Naruto cried; rubbing his neck beneath the collar of the tux, "Not to mention this tie is choking me…" the young man grimaced.

Kiba found him too trying to adjust his collar and tie, "Dude, really, this thing is murder. I would rather just go naked than wear this…"

"Suck it up, both of you," Neji scolded, straightening out his slacks, "We've got to get a move on, I bet the girls are there waiting for us…now where did Nara go?"

"Right here," Shikamaru raised his hand languidly, using the other palm to cover a yawn, "are you guys ready now? I've been waiting forever…"

"Bullshit, Nara, you just came already dressed, we didn't," Naruto countered, "have you just gotten dressed here like the rest of us, and we'd probably be waiting for you now."

Shikamaru shrugged,

"Very true," he grimaced as his reflection, "I hate these suits…why is prom so troublesome?" His hair was out of its usual ponytail, and was framing his face, ending only at his chin.

He ran his hands through his hair, pushing it back and away from his uninterested face.

"It's all for the girls, that's all I can say," Neji half-smiled, "Let's get going, the limo and the driver should be here soon.

**XXX**

"Tenten, out of curiosity...where are your parents?" Sakura inquired, as they all carefully maneuvered down Tenten's stairs.

"They took my brothers with them and all went to visit my aunt and uncle up west." Tenten said, picking up her red satin clutch off of her dining room table as they neared the front door.

"They didn't mind not being here for your prom?" Ino asked, checking her reflection in a framed photo next to the door.

"Nah, they only cared about graduation."

Hinata felt her palms clamp together, sweat coating each of them equally.

"Hina, you're shaking!" Ino observed, and hugged her friend, "why are you nervous?"

"N-no reason," Hinata assured her, "I guess it's just…me being anxious…I can't believe it's…Prom already."

"I know, I keep pinching myself to make sure it's real," Sakura giggled.

Tenten looked back at them as she began to open the door,

"You all ready?"

Her three friends nodded, and Tenten let them all out of the door into the night.

She smiled sadly to herself, and then flicked off the night.

**XXX**

As the four figures emerged from inside the house, Naruto had to gulp back the lump he was feeling in his throat.

This was it.

The last night Sakura and him would be known as 'High-School Sweethearts' and be able to have a mature, adult relationship. One of trust, honesty…

This was it.

He turned to look at his friends…Kiba Inuzuka, who had grown so much this past year, cleaned up his act and actually began to shave every once in a while…Neji Hyuuga, who was no doubt going to a very prestigious school this fall, who had loosened up a bit and grown physically into an all-too adult mind. Then there was Shikamaru…who learned to accept a lot of things as they were, open up his mind to what was happened…all Naruto guessed due to his relationship with Ino Yamanaka…

Then there was him, Naruto Uzumaki…how had he grown? Surely he had changed physically…but what about mentally?

He wasn't as loud as he had been. He still spoke his mind, however, and never would stop that. He was smarter, he guessed, or else the place he was going to go to wouldn't have accepted him…

Did Sakura think he had changed?

Before when he had lusted over her, she'd always say 'no'.

But then, within the past year or two, she had taken a liking to him, and he had felt a stronger connection to her than ever, and it wasn't just lust…

Naruto was too afraid to call it anything else, though.

**XXX**

When Hinata saw her cousin, Naruto, Shikamaru and Kiba, her worries and anxiousness quickly evaporated.

It was so comforting to be surrounded by friends like she was, and she was ecstatic that her best male friend, Kiba, was taking her to prom.

Forget that Kiba usually took things too far—what with drinking in excess and whatnot…but he was a really good guy, really sweet and really nice.

Sometimes she felt as if he was more of a brother to her than Neji, and her and Kiba weren't even blood-related!

As the four girls approached their four escorts, there was much hugging and exclamations.

"I cannot believe you wore a tux!"

"Your hair is so long out of that ponytail…I like it,"

"You shaved, Kiba, it's really nice."

"I like your bangs in your face…I've decided…"

You can guess who said what.

"Shall we go?" Naruto offered, holding open the door for all the girls and his friends.

Inside, the seats were leather and smooth, the lights dimly lit the car's space, and there was enough room to fit another pair of people besides the couples.

As the door shut, Naruto sat next to his date and girlfriend, stroking her cheek lightly with his fingers, knowing that after tonight…everything would change for the better.

And opposite him, Hinata watched, wondering when she would ever have a man like Naruto love her as much as he did Sakura.

**XXX**

Sasuke downed the last drop of the bitter liquid from its translucent brown bottle.

This was his third beer, but he didn't feel the least bit drunk yet. In fact, he felt completely sober.

"Another," he rasped, handing the bartender a 10 dollar bill.

He had forgotten how much the bottles of beer cost, but he didn't care…bar that he was a minor, he had given the bartender two hundred dollars to shut the fuck up about it and just get him a bottle of whatever beer the bartender himself preferred.

His classmates were out having the 'time of their life', why shouldn't he?

As another bottle of beer landed in front of him, he grabbed it, tipping it back and sucking on the thin layer of foam around the bottle's lip.

He then began chugging the liquid.

"Hey there, take it easy…" whispered a hoarse female voice in his ear, "take your time…" a hand slowly slithered dangerously close to his crotch.

Oh, so it was going to be one of **THOSE** nights?

Fucking sluts, they thought that they could have anyone they wanted.

"Fuck off, bimbo," he growled; slapping her hand away from what it was nearing.

He turned and looked at the woman.

She had obnoxiously straight bleached ice-blonde hair, and a too-deep tan.

Sasuke grimaced as he eyed her outfit.

A black tube-top and a too-short jean skirt.

Hinata looked a thousand times better than this woman and she had only been wearing a single towel…imagine, if you will, if Hinata had been wearing _this_?

_Shut up, brain._ He seethed.

The woman pouted,

"Come on, hun…you don't have to be so cruel…" her hand clutched his forearm, and began stroking it.

"Get away from me before I smash your face in," Sasuke hissed, standing up (he towered over her, he noted, even whilst she had on high heels).

"Give me two more beers, please, unopened," he commanded towards the bartender. Once they reached, he handed the man a fifty, and took the two unopened beers and his own half-drunk bottle, and stumbled out of the bar.

He chugged the last remainders of the opened beer, and threw it into a trashcan next to a bus stop, hobbling down the sidewalk.

'**You should go and apologize…you should go and talk to her**_…_' the voice spoke up in his mind.

"Yeah…maybe I will…" He opened one of the new beers using his pocket knife, and began drinking it.

Damn…why did he say that this stuff didn't bring him any pleasure?

**XXX**

**NEWSFLASH!**

Oh my God…I am on a roll! (: Yeah this took me one day (a.k.a Today, which is Thursday) to type, mostly because I stayed home all day.

This is, and I stress this point SO much…a ROUGH draft, and I am definitely going to need and go back to correct it…but I feel like sleeping right now and wanted to get this out of the way because it's just so much fun to type.

Hehe.

So yeah, barely any SasuHina action in this one, and it seems a bit pointless again, but I decided to make this mainly a chapter where you get to see into everyone else's heads and stuff…had to introduce those other characters.

And don't worry, if your favorite character (besides Sasuke and Hinata, ha-ha) hasn't appeared yet, do not fret…they'll be coming up, I promise!

Sorry if there was any OOC-ness…like I said, **VERY ROUGH DRAFT**.

But enjoy!

…zzz…

_**-p0g0**_

**P.S. **Yes...Tenten has brothers (IN THIS FIC)...about 4 to be exact, but that was only added for my own pleasure...I don't really know if she has any siblings or not XD So...that was me being a crackhead.


	4. Chapter 4

**The Denial Twist**

x.x.x

_**p0g0stick**_

**LOLWRITER'SBLOCK. ****Haha.**

**Thanks for the amazing reviews! Love you guys—remember to review if you do read!**

**XXX**

**Disclaimer**: I own…A PLANE TICKET!

**XXX**

"So what, somebody left you in a rut,

And wants to be the one, who's in control,

But the feeling that you're under can really make you wonder,

How the hell she could be so cold."

-_**The Denial Twist**_, **The White Stripes**

**XXX**

The lights were dim, creating a calm and nostalgic atmosphere. Filmy material hung from the walls, shuffling softly as people filed into the ballroom and began talking excitedly, hugging and shaking hands, patting each other on the backs.

Hinata stood, Kiba's grip solid around her waist, and smiled into the camera's lens.

_CLECK. _

A flash blinded her, and Kiba kept his large hand upon her midsection as he guided her towards where their friends stood.

They had already been inside the ballroom for a few good seconds until the group had been bombarded by their fellow graduates, and there had been many hugs, tears, hand-shakes and pats on the back.

Once everyone had greeted everyone else, the majority of the commotion had died down, and one could actually hear the soft music playing in the background. Hinata felt a deep rumbling in her chest, her heart beating slow, painfully, as if it was too large for her body and was trying to escape out of her ribcage.

TA-THUMP.

TA-THUMP.

Just like that.

The young girl swallowed a large lump forming in her throat as she watched Kiba and Naruto talk excitedly to her left. Kiba's arm was still around her waist, although now limp, his hands just grazing past the curvature of her hip. She felt it shift as he began talking with his hands, motioning and gesturing wildly.

As was the way of Kiba Inuzuka.

Hinata studied both boys, Naruto especially. It was strange, when she was younger, she had been reserved and very introverted, but had always respected for the young man a few feet beside her. Maybe…maybe once, once a long time ago when they had shared a quiet acquaintance in elementary school, had she felt something towards him.

Maybe something small, but still a _something_.

She remembered, when her friend, Sakura, had begun dating her old love interest (could she really call him that, despite the fact that there had been a small flicker of a _something_?) and a slight pang of a different _something_—jealousy? Envy?—had begun to take shape. But those words—they didn't describe the timid girl! No, it was more like pain.

But as always, you get passed these feelings, it may take weeks, months or years, but you get by.

Still, she couldn't help but admit, that beneath these soft lights, amid the solitude, the serenity…she still felt that _something_.

Sighing, she looked towards an open window towards the easterly side of the grand ballroom, Kiba's hand pressed against her again—her security.

Hinata wondered—would she suffer this feeling throughout the rest of her adolescence…no, she was a woman now…her adulthood?

Her thoughts shifted when she saw a figure pass by the window.

Shrug.

It was probably one of the teachers or guest speaker's arriving. That meant that they'd all end up congregating towards the chairs of their tables to listen to more speeches.

"Hina?" She heard Kiba's breath by her ear.

She turned to her friend.

"Yes?"

His face looked slightly worried.

Maybe he knew how Hinata truly felt about leaving behind this town and her friends. He had caught her brushing tears from her eyes behind a large pillar outside after the graduation ceremony. But he hadn't told her that he saw her, nor had he approached her, deciding that it being Hinata's nature to keep things private and secluded.

"You alright? You looked a bit…" He trailed off.

"Out of it?" She suggested, her lip quirking up, "no, I'm fine, really." She smiled just to prove a point.

Luckily for Hinata, Kiba wasn't as perceptive as Neji…however, unbeknownst to her, he could still see through her lies.

This night, though, he chose to pretend to not notice how her neck had turned slightly red, from having told a fib to him.

**XXX**

Sasuke tripped over a rather large rock that had been sitting idly in the grass next to the large ballroom.

He grunted, feeling the sting of the fall on his chin and palms, hissing as he tried to get back up—and failed.

Then he tried a second time.

He rose up, but stumbled over his own two feet and fell again, this time on a harder patch of dirt, making him bite into his bottom lip, cutting the thin skin there and making it bleed.

"Aghh…fucksh…" He slurred, wiping stingily at the thin trickle of blood with his sleeve.

"This is…thish…ist…just mah luck." He grumbled, wincing as his cut stretched open wider as he spoke.

"Now…whurr…where ish the entrance…" Sasuke walked passed rows of windows, but he didn't dare look inside. Even in his drunken stupor, he knew one look and that'd be it. His emotions were so disturbed; he would possibly, punch through the glass, stop his plan out of pure grief, or just stare into the soft lights until he passed out.

And none of those ideas appealed greatly to him, even as he drifted in and out of consciousness.

Carefully, he steadied himself along the outside wall of the ballroom, treading lightly, making sure not to trip over any rocks again. As the young man neared what he guessed was the entrance, he paused, the brightness of the outside fluorescent lights almost blinding him.

They pierced his eyes, and he reflexively closed them, growling at the way they felt.

When he opened them again, tiny black and purple dots floated through his vision.

"Fuckersh," He swatted at them, and blinked until they disappeared and he became accustomed to the bright flaxen light.

Inside it looked even darker, and there seemed to be a few floodlights focusing on a makeshift stage way in the back. Small, white, circular tables were placed close to the stage, each with small candles placed on them, emitting an eerie glow.

Ominous.

He watched in awe as the female valedictorian of his class stood upon the stage at the podium—much like she had at graduation—and beside her stood the male valedictorian, both poised with a final word towards his old classmates before the festivities began.

The festivities being everyone dancing on top of each other up until the point where they were basically having sex on the dance floor.

Usually Sasuke made a disgusted face, felt himself want to retch and them comment on how they were acting like fucking animals, but…deep down inside his heart, he really wished that someone would let him hold them the way some of the other young men held young women.

Too bad that wasn't what he was for—to get touchy-feely with girls…he could have taken that whore with him, had her do things to him that…actually, he had never let anyone do to him before. But even he, in his drunken state, was too smart for that.

Gripping the handles to the ballroom, he used all of his upper strength to push the doors open, shedding a lot of light into the grand room.

It was then, when every single pair of eyes was turned on him.

He didn't feel intimidated…much.

Each pair followed him as he stumbled up towards the tables, swerving through them, ignoring the scattered gasps and the murmurs that everyone offered to their partner's.

_"What the hell is __**HE**__ doing here?"_

_"Mr. Gloom and Doom decided to show?"_

_"If he wasn't so heartless he could have been valedictorian…so smart." _

_"I don't even remember the last time I saw him smile."_

_"He's intelligent…but isn't educated enough in __**life**__."_

_"Give the guy a break, his parents did die…"_

_"…like, five years ago."_

Sasuke marched up the rickety stairs, up to the side of the podium.

Sakura, female valedictorian, gasped.

"Sas…Sasuke?" She quivered, reaching out a hand to touch his split lip.

He growled and dodged her kind gesture.

"I need to talk." For that first time that evening, he had spoken his first sober sentence.

"Sasuke, this is a load of bullshit, why do you always pick the worst times?" Neji Hyuuga demanded, placing his hand over the microphone, as to mute the conversation.

"Get…get outta mah way, Hyuugah." He murmured, shoving the male valedictorian away from the stand.

Neji, about to charge at him, was held back by Sakura.

Her eyes spoke to the young man, _Let him go, we'll deal with this later_.

Neji nodded slowly, as if unsure whether to let this charade go on. It was obvious that the Uchiha was drunk, and there was never a time Neji could recall him being so. This meant that Sasuke was an unknown drunk…who knew what would come spewing out of his mouth.

Hinata Hyuuga watched the young man from her table, seated between Kiba and an empty space where Neji had been sitting. She felt a blush creep up her face as she watched him, slouching towards the podium, gripping the microphone and open his mouth to speak.

How could he show his face?

When he passed by the tables, the stench of cigarette smoke and crude alcohol hung damp in the air, making the young Hyuuga girl gag, and she felt sick just thinking about that smell again.

Sasuke steadied himself, and everyone held their breath.

"Hin…Hinata…Hyuugah," Hinata bristled hearing her name, "…yurra…you are…I'm sorruh for…" was he apologizing?! "Ah fuck thish, Hinata's a fuckin' whore."

There was utter silence, no gasp was uttered, and everyone was still…

…and then Neji Hyuuga fainted.

**XXX**

_Oh goodness…_Hinata felt a large ball forming in her esophagus.

His mind was obviously clouded over too thickly with alcohol—how could he call her a whore! She was still a virgin! Could one be a whore if they hadn't had sex yet?

The most Hinata had ever done with boys was hug, hold hands…

She still hadn't even had her first kiss yet!

Oh, but let us not forget how she had basically bared all to the Uchiha…that wasn't being a whore though!

He hadn't even seen anything!

A very uncharacteristic anger seethed within the young girl…but was replaced with embarrassment, fear and the feeling of…

Just crying and rolling into the fetal position.

"What the fuck are you talking about Uchiha?" Kiba pushed back his chair, growling, "Since when were you even ASSOCIATED with Hinata?"

Hinata looked up at her friend, tears brimming in her eyes still.

At least he caught the Uchiha's attention. Sasuke glared at him over half-lidded eyes, Sakura at his side on the floor trying to revive the young Hyuuga man by fanning him with her speech.

"Oh shut itch….Kiba…yurr just jealous 'cause I saw her nakid!" Sasuke snorted with laughter, wheezing at his own sick 'joke'.

The only noise inside the room now was Sasuke's very….out of character giggles and coughs.

"What the hell do you mean 'saw her naked'?" Tenten stood up this time, angry at Sasuke for spreading such a horrible lie about her best friend.

The Uchiha still wheezed as he spoke,

"I meant that I saw Hinah," wheeze, "…Hinater…" snort, "_that_ chick nakid," he abruptly stopped, "not that I'm complainin', she has like…the biggest," he motioned clumsily with his hands two circular shapes in front of his chest, "know whut I mean?" he snorted again.

Basically, the majority of the female population gasped, and the males just stood as stiff as ever, each blushing crimson, as it was totally obvious that Hinata was blessed with a rather…large bosom.

Only now were they completely aware of it once Sasuke had pointed it out, despite all the years of attending high school with the girl—not their fault she constantly wore baggy pants and sweatshirts!

"You…you what?!" Neji, now conscious jumped to his feet, "fucking hell, Uchiha, I'm going to murder you!" Sakura held the young man back fiercely.

"Hinata, is what this asshole saying true?" Kiba demanded, turning to look at his date, her eyes shut tightly, and her small hands covering her mouth.

She blushed.

She couldn't lie to Kiba, he was her friend…

But why…why did Sasuke do all of this? What had she EVER done to the boy? Had she embarrassed him somehow, in front of all his friends?

Kiba growled now too, taking her blush as a yes. Now he too was on the warpath to Sasuke, the remainder of the table staring incredulously at the young girl who was still on the verge of a total and complete breakdown.

Hinata could imagine their faces now.

Ino-a sympathetic look on her face, Shikamaru-regarding her warily, his eyes chastising her, Naruto-his jaw slack as he tried to possibly imagine Sasuke Uchiha and Hinata Hyuuga…_OH GOD NO! AH! GET OUT OF MY BRAIN, NO, THAT'S PERVERTED!_

And Tenten, her best friend Tenten, her face torn between anger and sympathy.

Then the rest of her classmates! What were they saying now?

She couldn't bear to look…

A soft hand rested on her shoulder,

"Hina, what is this all about?" It was Tenten.

Another hand, this time Ino's,

"Hina, please, what the hell is Sasuke going on about?"

And in all truthfulness, Hinata wished that she could just kill herself right then.

**XXX**

Sasuke Uchiha felt proud of himself for revealing that minx to the public—she had taunted him since the night before, and now she had gotten her just desserts!

How dare she think that she could do such things to him—glare at him, almost flash him—and get away with all of it!

Of course…he had intruded on her—

NO.

Shut up brain.

This was what was right.

"Hey, Uchiha…" Sasuke turned reflexively at the mention of his name.

And that's when Kiba Inuzuka delivered an uppercut to the young man's face.

He had known this day wouldn't end well.

**XXX**

Despite the scene that had happened during the early hours of the prom, it still went off without a hitch. People ate, danced, reminisced, drank (cough), laughed and had a wonderful time.

Once or twice there were a few problems, like when a certain couple (cough, Ino and Shikamaru) had begun making out and they accidentally pulled down a large portion of streamers (no one asked exactly how that happened, nor did they want to know), and another time when Naruto's limo had almost been towed because obviously the driver hadn't been paying much attention when he parked it in the lot across from the ballroom to go and get a drink at a bar.

Hinata, although her friends pleaded her to stay, really wanted to go home, so Kiba accompanied her in a taxi back to her place, and dropped the young girl off as he picked up his own car from the same spot.

Sasuke had been knocked out, and thus Sakura decided to take him back to his place, Naruto in tow. The elder boy knew where Sasuke kept a spare key, underneath the flower pot on his back porch. He'd known this since he was younger and had walked with Sasuke to his house. When Sasuke had thought Naruto had left (but in truth he hadn't) the young boy had removed a small key from the underside of the pot and used it to open the door.

After they tucked the rather foul smelling Uchiha in, the couple made sure to lock the door as they walked towards the limo.

Naruto sighed, sinking into the limo's seats, his arm wrapped limply around his girlfriend's torso.

_Well, we didn't get to dance a lot…but at least __the hotel room is still booked_, he thought, pulling her closer to him.

"Naruto?" Sakura murmured, and once he looked at her, she continued knowing where his attention was focused, "can you just let the limo drop me home? I'm kind of tired…"

This was true.

She was mentally exhausted, physically too after having carried Sasuke (although she had Naruto's help) and truthfully, slightly agitated after watching Ino make out with Shikamaru obnoxiously in front of their graduates.

Ino should have been laughing and talking with Sakura—her best friend, not ignoring her and going off with Shikamaru.

Sakura thought that by pulling the streamers over them, it would cause them to stop and realize what they were doing.

Instead it just made them dance together.

Why? Why was Sakura not satisfied with having Naruto as a boyfriend?

She knew the answer—but she wouldn't tell anyone.

Naruto's brows furrowed, "Ah…Sakura…actually, I had something else planned for us—"

Sakura cut him off, knowing already that he had arranged something for them, something probably extremely intimate.

"Naruto, I'm sorry," She pecked him stiffly on the cheek; her lips pursed, and crawled over across the seats to the part of the vehicle that separated the riders from the driver.

Sakura pulled the tiny window back, so the driver could hear her.

"128 West Landmark, please," She spoke softly, and moved back to her initial place where Naruto was seated dumbstruck.

Did this mean…

That Sakura and him were over?

**XXX**

Ino was slowly gyrating against her boyfriend, his hands lying lightly on her hips.

_This is our last official night as high-school sweethearts…_

Ino concluded, gripping Shikamaru's hands with hers.

_I'm not going to let it go._

**XXX**

"I don't understand," seethed Neji, as Tenten stroked his hair, "how the fuck did Uchiha even see Hinata? They haven't even SPOKEN to each other!"

Obviously Neji wasn't letting this go until he solved it. Genius he was, he couldn't piece together the pieces of this puzzle.

Some must have been missing.

"Just cool your jets," Tenten sighed, her hands leaving his hair, "enjoy the night, Hinata's safely at home, as is Sasuke, you and Kiba both gave him a good punch."

Neji grinned at the memory of giving Uchiha an uppercut, even after Kiba had knocked the young man out.

"You're such a sicko," Tenten concluded, standing up, "now come on, dance with me; I'm starting to get jealous of Ino and Shikamaru."

Neji grunted, but complied, standing up also, and letting her lead him over to the dance floor.

**XXX**

Sasuke Uchiha groaned, twisting in his bed.

He shot up like a rocket, and gripped his head, a seething lukewarm pain dousing him.

Obviously, he was still drunk, but it was wearing off and he was sober enough to realize what he had slept off was now turning into those infamous hangover's he had heard so much about.

"Fuck…" He growled, rocking from side to side in his bed,

"I just had to be a fucktard and drink until I was tripping over myself."

The young man grimaced feeling the pain of a split lip.

"How the hell did I get this?!" He demanded, falling out of bed as he scrambled in vain to search for a mirror.

Sasuke found one.

It was pitch black inside his house, so he turned on a lamp, igniting the room with a low, dull light.

"Fuck…" he studied the cut, and the dried blood around it.

He also had the beginnings of a swelling bruise underneath his right eye.

"How did…"

Then it all came back to him…most of it anyway.

"AH DAMNIT!" He yelled, hissing in pain as his split lip opened again.

What was he to do now? He obviously couldn't show his face around the Hyuuga compound…or anywhere the local teenagers hung out, he'd get his head chopped off by Neji and Kiba, maybe even Shikamaru…

A lot of the guys inside the class liked Hinata, did they not? They respected her, mostly because she wasn't a bitch or was an attention whore.

He shuddered at the thought of Shino Aburame, Chouji Akimichi, and Rock Lee…any of them coming after him.

Oh fuck, and then there was Gaara, Gaara, of whom had an elder sister who Hinata was rather friendly with.

Gaara wouldn't hesitate to knock him out easy.

But he had such a bad guilt complex, even so, and plus would it lighten the load if he apologized to the girl? They could form a truce?

Oh fuck who would want to make peace with a man after he'd called you some dirty names and claimed to have seen you partially naked!

He searched the medicine cabinets and took two aspirin, cupping his hands in the sink and drinking water from the tap to take them down.

Sasuke hissed as the water touched his lip, and screamed again.

**XXX**

Hinata had decided to shower.

She had sort have been avoiding the bathroom on the whole, but this time she felt so dirty and sick, like she had to wash the whore off of her…

EVEN THOUGH SHE WASN'T ONE!

SHE WAS A VIRGIN!

She was…even if no one would believe her anymore.

Sigh.

Well…she was 18, wasn't she?

Yes.

She was old enough to have had intercourse, so it didn't even matter if she was labeled as a whore. Besides…she wasn't seeing any of those people anymore!

Except for Kiba and them…she'd be seeing them…

And maybe Gaara…Shino…Chouji…Rock Lee…

Sigh, again.

The shower was quick, and after washing her hair twice with shampoo and conditioner, working her whole bar of soap into a lather to coat her body, then rinsing, she stepped out of the bathroom, wrapped in a towel and into her room.

Hinata didn't bother brushing her hair, and would deal with the tangles tomorrow. She ran her towel through the locks, and then tied it up into a clip, her shorter strands such as her bangs escaping.

Then, as she began to dress…something came into her mind.

'_She has the biggest…_'

Hinata shuddered.

Were her breasts really…that large?

The young girl slowly turned around, black bikini panties on; to stare at herself in her vanity for the first time in what seemed like years.

She was such a virgin! She almost collapsed at the sight of herself being topless, and she quickly spun around, shrugging on a giant hoodie and leaving that at that.

Hinata was having that mirror taken out before her father returned.

It had been a long day, she concluded, and although it had most definitely turned out the way she'd hoped, at least it was over with.

Her bed was soft and warmed her cool, slick skin.

She drifted in and out of sleep, until her door opened.

"Neji, I'm trying to s-sleep…" she groaned, feeling the weight on her bed shift.

"I'm not Neji."

_OH NO_.

**XXX**

Granted, Sasuke Uchiha wasn't one to apologize, he was still human—although it could be debated seeing as how cold-hearted and, quote unquote, stoic he was.

So, he decided to be formal and go to the Hyuuga mansion…leave her a note…and VOILA. Problem solved. They were still at the prom, so there was no confrontation necessary, and at least he'd have it off of his chest.

Maybe this was all the alcohol talking, and as he swayed towards the door, note clutched in hand, he prayed that it would end by morning.

The maid had answered, or at least one of them, and he asked (soberly) if she would deliver a note to Hinata Hyuuga.

Maybe the maid had misunderstood, but she had ushered him inside, and motioned up the stairs. He followed, being as out of it as he was, and stumbled up two flights of stairs, passed white walls, and tables with vases and long white lilies hanging out…and for some reason, the young man found this all so eerily familiar.

Where was she taking him?

"I think she might be asleep, but you may enter," and with that, the middle-aged woman left, shuffling down the hallway.

Out of pure curiosity, he peered inside.

And sucked in his breath.

Hinata was on the bed, her face turned to the right and towards the dresser…and those goddamn lamb figurines.

He growled, suddenly remembering where he was.

The fucking maid had taken him to her room.

He slipped off his tennis shoes, feeling like he shouldn't be trekking into her neat room with muddy shoes…

Sasuke should have taken them out earlier, but oh well.

Carefully, he strode into the room and rounded the bed…and something inside forced him to sit onto the bed.

He saw her eyelids flutter.

"Neji, I'm trying to sleep," she moaned, her bangs wet and sticking to her forehead.

He couldn't just…leave…especially after she'd noticed his presence.

But she'd called him Neji, thought he was her cousin…did that mean that Neji was here?

Goosebumps rose across his skin.

Think of something to say!

"I'm not Neji…" good…didn't even slur once.

Hinata bolted upright, their faces merely inches from each other.

Neither spoke, neither looked away, and neither glared.

Hinata studied the young man, he still smelled like alcohol, cigarettes and now blood, but he didn't…smell bad…

He smelled more like all of those things, with an overpowering scent of…rain?

His lip was split from Neji's punch, and his eye blackening. The young man looked exhausted, his cheekbones gaunt and his eyes listless. His mouth was pursed, and his bangs were wet from sweat and sticking to his neck and temples.

"Y-You're…a mess." She spoke first, and he closed his eyes.

"I know."

"Y-you're also an asshole…a-and…you're lucky I am not Sakura or Ino, b-because you would have a matching black eye."

She wasn't as timid as he thought.

"…I know…"

"So why?" She asked, now feeling braver without him watching her every move.

"I…don't know…" His eyes opened again, bloodshot against an obsidian black, "You…I was angry, because I thought that…you were making a fool of me. So I made a fool of you."

"H-how did I make a fool of y-you?" Hinata tried to make her voice gentle, tried to keep herself in line, but this boy was making no absolute sense.

"Ever since I saw you the other night, I couldn't stop thinking of you, you made me jumpy…" he studied her eyes, they weren't judging him or searching him, just hearing him out, "I…I don't know, damn, Hinata, but I just got angry and I just felt like…"

"I-It's al-alright Sasuke," she spoke solemnly, finally understanding what he meant to some degree, "I'm s-sorry for causing you so much…t-troubles, and I f-forgive you."

He nodded, his head spinning slightly.

Why she had actually forgiven him, he'll never know, maybe she was just accepting that he was an insane coldhearted fucker and she had better just get him off of her back.

"Thank-you," He murmured, his eyes closed because the bright light inside the room was making him dizzy.

Truthfully, Hinata was still angry, and embarrassed, but she appreciated that Sasuke had gone out of his way to come and apologize to her, and had the guts to approach her, mere hours after the scenario.

"Have you…are you…"

"I'm sober…partially, and no, I haven't done anything for the eye," He murmured, his eyes not opening, and he hunched slightly.

It seemed that only seconds later small hands were holding his face and applying a slick substance over his eyelid and arch.

"What…are you doing?" he asked, trying to sound agitated.

"It's to help with the swelling," she clarified, "keep your eyes closed."

"No problem," he spoke softly, so soft Hinata was surprised she heard the comment.

Of course, he found that excruciatingly hard, as he wanted to claw at his eye and wipe the substance off—it was cold.

The young man then felt the hands again, applying a soft piece of fabric over the eye, pressing it hard on the corner's, securing it.

He winced.

It hurt.

"What are you, some nurse in training?" He grumbled.

"Shush," she sighed, "I'm going to get some ice," the young girl said, and he heard her soft footsteps leave the room.

Sasuke was all alone.

And before he knew it, he had fallen asleep in Hinata's bed.

**XXX**

When dawn approached, Sasuke Uchiha woke up, a tangle of sheets, on Hinata's bed.

His head was throbbing, and he didn't want to get up, the pain was so immense…but somehow he stumbled out of the large four-poster bed, gripping the walls for security.

Sasuke had to leave this house, before Neji realized he was here…and killed him.

He figured the homicide would be swift and painless, knowing Neji and it would also be easy…and easy way to go, he concluded, so maybe it didn't matter if he got caught.

Around on the front section of the bed, Hinata lay on the floor, wrapped in a blanket.

She had slept on the floor instead of kicking him out of her bed…and he had been the one to insult her and embarrass her earlier…

What a shit he was.

Her hair had fallen out of its binding and was splayed across the white carpet, her head was lolling to one side, and he watched as her chest heaved and fell…

Hinata's chest…

How awful could you get?!

And she had forgiven him!

That sickened him and impressed him at the same time—if a girl had gone around bragging she had seen him naked and said his…southern friend was a foot long, he'd have killed her in the dead of night.

Get it…dead of night?

There was his sick humor again.

Head pounding, he sat on the ground and watched the young girl as she slept.

This was the first time he'd been able to talk to someone…well, he'd been able to talk to people, but with Hinata he hadn't been so angry or pessimistic.

He didn't believe that it was going to be good for his health. Sasuke had been too reclusive, too private for so long.

Maybe he should wake her up, tell her he was leaving and to have a nice life and enjoy the summer.

Sasuke pushed her with his foot.

"Hinata, wake up," shove, shove, "I'm leaving now," shove.

The young girl groaned and shifted, laying sideways so her back was to him.

He could see her panties.

Sasuke felt extremely hot, his jacket was too heavy and sticking to his skin.

"Hinata," he hissed, and shoved her with his hands this time, ignoring as the blanket revealed more and more of her bottom and the backs of her thighs.

She had been covered by her sheets before, so the young man hadn't taken much notice to what she was wearing, nor when she had left him alone on the bed.

They stood out greatly against her pale skin.

He shifted his position uncomfortably.

"Hinata!" he called out, still trying to whisper.

She turned again, this time facing him.

Her eyebrows furrowed above her closed lids.

"W-what is it Neji? I'm tired…"

Sasuke grumbled, now focusing on her chest which was cradled in a low-cut tank top…

Why did she sleep in practically nothing?!

"I'm not Neji, damnit, Hinata I'm leaving." The young man was growing flustered at the appearance of the half-naked girl in front of him.

"A-ah…alright…" her eyes opened leisurely, soft lavender against thick black lashes.

He stood up, ignoring the horrible sensation in his head. It made him want to bang it numerous times against Hinata's wall until it shattered.

"See ya," he swayed out of the doorway, and down the hallway.

"Ah, Sasuke," Hinata stood up and rushed over to where the young man was, completely forgetting that she wasn't wearing shorts.

"Be careful," she scolded, taking his arm and laying it across her shoulders. It was an odd position, seeing as the Uchiha was probably a good 5'11", lanky and was slouching.

"I'm perfectly capable of walking on my own," he growled, trying to snatch his hand away from her figure.

"Shh," she pressed a finger against her lips, glaring at him, "Neji's not awake yet…"

Sasuke's eyes widened but then fell again, half-lidded.

"Ah, right," he spoke, tightening his grip around her thin shoulders, "you're thin." He insinuated.

"You are too," She noted, walking him down the flight of stairs.

"Good point."

"Don't you eat?"

"When I'm hungry."

"Oh."

End of conversation.

At the doorway, Sasuke stumbled out into the cool summer morning, but didn't turn around to thank her.

"B-bye, Sasuke, be careful…"

She wondered how he was going to get home.

"Hinata…put on some pants and drive me, please." He answered, as if he had just read her thoughts.

"R-right…" she walked back inside.

…pants?

That's when she remembered that she was in her underwear.

Her face turned 10 shades of red, and 5 more yet to be named.

**XXX**

**NEWSFLASH!**

Oh wow. Writer's block, OOC and MESSED UP much? Haha, I know, it was pretty disgraceful, but I had the plot written out and there were a few things I didn't agree with, and then went back and fixed it all up.

So I know that you were all like: okay, enough regular side-unimportant couples, SasuHina plz.

But it was all necessary—the next chapters will DEFINITELY have SasuHina fluff-ness…and if you're good, more.

The past couple of weeks have been hell—I've gotten sick twice, gotten stung by a bee and then had to go to the doctor's and I suffered extreme writer's block—yay!

This was a weird chapter, but I had to get all of the good SasuHina juices flowing, and NOW the plot begins…yay again!

So drop a review please, it's much appreciated, thanks for reading!

-**_p0g0_**


	5. Chapter 5

**The Denial Twist**

x.x.x

_**p0g0stick**_

**H-hey…g-g-guy's…**

**(Is**** brutally bludgeoned.)**

**Owww.****Sorry that…uhm…this wasn't out sooner?**

**Happy, uhm, late V-day?**

**Heh…tried to get this out for the 14****th****, but, ah…wanted to finish Melting Spring and like, 5 ****of my friends had birthdays these past ****week****s****…so…BIRTHDAY FUN! ****Hehe.**

**Thanks for the reviews you guys! Remember if you do read, ****REVIEW**

**Love you all.**

**(Cowers.)**

**This chapter was fun to write. :D:D**

**XXX**

**Disclaimer: **I. Don't. Own. Naruto damnit! Nor do I own any of the lyrics inside the chapters, they are owned by Jack and Meg White.

**XXX**

_"So now you're left, denying the truth_

_And it's getting in the wisdom in the back of your tooth_

_You need to spit it out, in a telephone booth_

_While you call everyone that you know, and ask 'em__'Where do you think she goes'?"_

**XXX**

The drive to Sasuke's house had been quiet.

Words hung damply in the air, but neither made a move to start conversation. They were content just staring out of the cars windows, keeping to themselves, unless Sasuke was giving her directions towards his residence.

However, during that drive, Sasuke learned two things about Hinata Hyuuga that he didn't need to talk to her to figure out.

One; she drove incredibly and irritatingly slow. Although Sasuke seemed to take his time with many things, and moved at a snail's pace the majority of the time, he concluded during that drive that he hated it when people drove so slow that even old women passed them, honking their horns angrily.

He wished that it was Naruto driving him home.

But once he had wished it, he took it back immediately.

Then the other thing, two, she had a very annoying habit of clicking her tongue when she was about to make a turn, merge lanes, or whatever needed concentration when one was driving.

And in the solitude of the car, whenever she did this, Sasuke just wanted to rip his ears out.

It was annoying, yes, but Sasuke didn't have the heart to demand that she stop it, that it was stupid and made her sound like a demented chicken…

…and he also found that he sort of enjoyed the sound, to some extent.

"Which one is it?" Hinata asked, driving down a long lane of houses.

There weren't very many, but they were all rather large, all displaying intricate wrought iron gates, large yards, and two-story houses…although none were as large as her mansion.

"The second to last one on the left, just keep going and I'll tell you when to stop."

"Ah…a-alright," He felt her foot ease up on the pedal even more.

Then the clicking began again.

_Click. Click. Click_.

"Stop," Her clicking stopped.

"Y-yes?"

"Stop, it's right here." He motioned with his head to a house with a low, white-wash wall with the same fencing as every other house along the neighborhood (there had only been two houses before his on the left side, and only one house at the beginning of the neighborhood on the right side, so there wasn't much for Hinata to compare it to). It was a two-story, the same white-washed color as the low wall, and had dark colored curtains strewn across each window. The yard would have been beautiful…once upon a time.

The grass was long and had brown patches scattered across it, along with weeds of various shapes and colors, littering the grand field and sucking the life out of the remaining plants in it. Vines that were creeping along the houses walls were a sickly brown and black, and stood out greatly against the white.

Piercing the middle of the yard was what would have been a pathway, but all the stones had cracks in them, and it was obvious that the weeds had begun to feed off whatever life that pathway had once held.

"H-here!?" Hinata tried to hold back the incredulous tone in her voice, but it broke.

"Yes, here," he sighed and took off his seatbelt, ("Put it on!" Hinata had commanded before they had even moved an inch in the car. Sasuke in return had groaned, as if he wasn't going to wear it…and the only way she'd get pulled over was by driving too slow) "It's lovely, huh?"

He laughed bitterly.

"I-it's…"

"Don't worry, I'll be…selling it soon," He got out of the car swiftly and opened the gates, stumbling down the pathway.

Hinata waited until he got inside.

Surely he had a key with him, right?

The young girl watched as he disappeared behind the back of the house, and returned to the front.

He stared back at her, and she felt her heartbeat quicken. What now? Was he going to decide instead to run back to the car, invite her in, and then feed off of her internal organs or drink her blood?

Ha! Funny.

Then he unlocked his door, went inside, and shut it behind him.

Needless to say, Hinata had found it quite rude that the Uchiha hadn't at least thanked for the ride.

**XXX**

Neji Hyuuga was not feeling exceptionally good today.

He had stressed out over the whole Uchiha situation from the previous night, and he had also had quite a bit too much to drink. It ended up just being him and Tenten in the limo on the way home. Ino and Shikamaru had called in a taxi and had left to God knows where, Naruto and Sakura hadn't even returned from dropping of the Uchiha, and Kiba and Hinata had both returned to their homes.

Tenten had to walk him to the door, leave him in the care of a maid, and have the maid take him into his room, and tuck him in as if he was some child.

What was he…seven?

Grumbling to himself, he shuffled down the hall towards the kitchen.

His head was throbbing, that was what he could thank part of his sour mood to, but the other half was saved for Hinata who was not in her room this morning (or afternoon…it was technically quarter to noon).

The maid he had questioned only said that Hinata had gone for a drive.

This perplexed Neji to no end and only made his head hurt more. The woman had obviously heard his younger cousin wrong, partially because he was a hundred percent sure that Hinata would only drive if it was an emergency—besides going to Tenten's house a few times in the past week, she hadn't touched her car, especially in the past six months when she had end of year exams and such to focus on.

Maybe she had decided to go and see Tenten today?

If his brain wasn't thrashing around so much in his cranium he would call Tenten, or go outside and look in vain for Hinata's car, but that wasn't on his list of priorities for today.

So instead, Neji Hyuuga had made himself some coffee, adjusted his boxers and went back to bed.

**XXX**

Inside, Sasuke Uchiha breathed a large sigh of relief, slinking down to the floor and staring up at his ceiling fan that was turning with labored spins. Again, again and again, it spun, never stopping.

He began to feel dizzy.

Not to mention his head hurt a lot.

On weak legs, he stumbled back into a standing position and walked over to his medicine cabinet, taking out two aspirin into his mouth.

Before trying to swallow them, he filled up a paper cup with water from his kitchen sink, and gulped it down alongside the aspirin. Then he tried to remember the last time he took aspirin…hadn't Hinata given him some?

Or did she just put that really cold salve on his blackened eye?

Although, he realized, he wasn't all that tired. The sleep he had at the Hyuuga house had been a pretty good one, especially on the bed…

That bed was really good, a hell of a lot better than his.

He should thank her for bringing him home…

Maybe later.

Right now, he was still reeling from the night's previous activities, and actually becoming quite embarrassed at how he had acted, (despite the fact that he couldn't actually recall the majority of what he did, exactly).

Grumbling, he slunk into his living room, flopping onto the couch which resided there, and closing his eyes.

Sasuke didn't feel like sleeping inside his bed, he believed it just wouldn't feel the same anymore.

**XXX**

Naruto grumbled.

Whoever said that money wasted was money well spent?

Because it was wrong, completely and utterly W-R-O-N-G…

He had wasted money on a lot of things in his life, clothes, trinkets and baubles, electronics, minutes for his cellular phone; the list could go on forever.

Now, however, he felt like none of those other worthless purchases could compare to what he had spent on prom night.

The young man owed Sasuke a pretty penny for the limousine, had spent countless dollars on roses of every shade possible, a tuxedo rental, shoes, a corsage, the tickets (he could assure you, they had quite a large price to them) and not to mention the hotel room where he was supposed to have one, if not the only, best night of his entire life.

Too bad he ended up in a bed, not with the girl of his dreams, but someone completely and utterly different.

What did it matter anymore, anyway?

He could have seen it coming a mile away had he not had a large scarf covering his eyes, had he not been blinded by what he thought was affection.

The young man brushed his teeth furiously, foam seeping on the corners of his mouth from the toothpaste.

He spat into the sink, rinsed and stormed into his kitchen.

Usually he would have flossed and used a generous amount of mint mouthwash, but what did it matter? Not like he would be going anywhere today.

It was nice to be home at least, and not held up inside some small hotel room with some chick you had just met at your high school prom.

This was true—she had been some other guy's prom date, taken a liking to Naruto Uzumaki, and agreed to leave with him.

It wasn't the young man's fault that he had drunk an excessive amount of alcohol, and that this young girl had left her prom date to pursue him. And, leaving with someone, even if it was a slut, was better than leaving alone.

**XXX**

Whenever Ino Yamanaka needed reassurance, she usually went to Sakura, Tenten or Hinata.

Too bad that none of them were answering:

Her calls,

Her texts,

OR

Her messages she left on instant messenger/their answering machines and through e-mail.

Despite popular belief, she did not go to her boyfriend, Shikamaru Nara, for everything.

There were some things she needed her female friends for. They could fix her problems easier, soothe her and comfort her. Whenever she was sad or broken, like cracks in the sidewalk, they'd fill in the missing concrete.

Her friends couldn't do that now, however, because right now, either she was dead, having an awful dream, or all of her friends had fallen off of the face of the earth, and at the most crucial time in all of her teenage life when she needed them the most.

Only a few people had actually seen Ino Yamanaka cry.

Those people were Shikamaru Nara, her guidance counselor, Sakura Haruno, Tenten, Hinata Hyuuga and her brother.

She refused to break down in front of large crowds or anyone else who didn't know her as well as she knew herself.

But right now, Ino worried she was going to burst into tears in front of one person she really didn't want to…

…Herself, staring back at her in the reflection of her mirror.

The tears fell.

**XXX**

_**BRING.**_

_**BRIINNGG.**_

Sakura Haruno wasn't answering her phone right now, she was too busy trying to fall back to sleep.

_**BRIINNGG**_.

The young girl knocked the phone and its cradle off her bedside table, the weight of the fall pulling it from its socket, and silencing the device.

She rolled back into the center of her bed, rolling into a ball and hugging her knees tight to her chest.

Already Sakura knew who the call was from, Naruto Uzumaki.

Too bad it was actually from her best friend who needed her more than anything.

**XXX**

Hinata's house felt like a warm hug when she entered it.

Everything was so peaceful.

Although there was still an itch she couldn't quite scratch, one that was focused mainly on a slight grudge she held against the Uchiha, the young girl ignored it.

She wasn't one to carry a grudge, especially to the poor young man who really looked beaten up after the previous night.

He had enough things to worry about right now.

Last night, Hinata had avoided her elder cousin, trying to keep out of his sight and whenever he did wake up and tried to open her door, she made sure that it was locked snugly.

The young girl would definitely get an earful this morning, but luckily Neji would be so exhausted from last night, he wouldn't dare chastise or lecture her about leaving her door locked, departing the house before he could awaken and definitely about what the Uchiha had spoken about her.

"Finally…where the hell were you?" Speak of the devil! The elder cousin came down the stairway, rubbing his tired eyes and yawning.

"Just went out for a small drive," the young girl responded fluidly.

Wow, she was getting better at lying.

Then again, technically, that wasn't a lie…it was partially true; she had just gone a short drive…to Sasuke Uchiha's house.

However, the elder Hyuuga was too tired to lecture the younger girl, and he had important news to pass on.

"Ah…" Another wide yawn, and this time, it became contagious as Hinata yawned also, "Ino called. Left a message for you, I dunno, she seemed kind of stressed if you ask me…but damn, you had just seen her last night…doubt anything coulda happened since then." Neji ran his hands through his tousled hair, tearing his hair tie out and reapplying it to his long brown hair.

"I-Ino called?" Hinata seemed simply perplexed by this.

Ino always called to tell her small bits of gossip, but it never ended up being anything serious.

Maybe she should call her…but then again, what if she had panicked, then called Ino and found out that the only thing troubling her was the need to tell someone about all the promiscuous activities that had taken place last night?

Hinata was not in the mood for gossip, or the mood to be pestered about what the Uchiha had blurted out. She was sure she'd get enough calls about that.

Then again, Neji and Kiba chased away a lot of the males in their classes and beyond, both threatening the boys and yelling at them.

"Yeah, she wanted you to call her back," he began up the stairs again, "Tenten told me she'd be by later today to talk to you…I dunno when she's comin', but I'm going back to sleep."

Before he reached the top of the stairwell, Hinata called out,

"So how was last night, Neji? Between you and Tenten?"

"Uneventful. She made me dance and drink, you probably had more fun back here sleeping."

The younger Hyuuga didn't believe what her cousin said, and giggled, knowing full well that he was desperately trying to hide a blush.

What she didn't know was that the blush wasn't because of any late night activities that had taken place between him and Tenten, but rather, Tenten and someone else

**XXX**

Morning was barely a thought in Mother Nature's mind when Tenten had awoken and sprinted far, far away.

She couldn't believe what she had just done.

She couldn't understand what she had just done.

She didn't WANT to think about what she had just done, just wanted out.

Her abdomen clenched, as she stopped at the bottom of the staircase, and she felt sick to her stomach. Thinking she was going to lurch, she leaned into a nearby garbage can and heaved, but nothing came out, bar spittle.

The young girls mind spun, and throbbed against her forehead.

She crashed onto the floor, sitting up, but her legs felt too weak to comply with what her mind was begging for.

To run.

After a few minutes, which felt like an eternity, of thinking she was going to vomit, and actually not, she eventually rose on two shaky legs.

Tenten's dress had been put on inside-out in haste, and the zipper on the back was rubbing against her, creating an itching friction, but for now, she didn't care.

All she was happy for was that time during her sophomore year that she joined the track team, and how a lot of the training had actually paid off in the long run (had she not been feeling as horrible as she did, she would have laughed deliriously at that silly pun, and for a second, she paused to do so, but continued running), because there was no way she was calling for a taxi being as disheveled as she was.

Not to mention, if she stopped, she was pretty sure that some guy would start leering at her, and she really didn't think she'd be able to fight him off.

That's how it was at nighttime here.

Completely unsafe.

By the time the young girl had reached her house it was actually noon, strange enough. Hadn't she been running since the wee hours of the morning?

It didn't matter, at least she was home.

But, she found herself mysteriously without her key. Hadn't she taken it with her to the…

Oh.

_Oh_.

Right…no key.

The young girl collapsed on the lawn, just as the sprinkler system began to spray.

**XXX**

Kiba Inuzuka was used to strange happenings.

Hell, when you lived with a family member who worked at the local humane society and veterinary clinic, you were basically brought up around the insane and delusional.

Ever since he was a young child, he had been surrounded by dogs, cats, rodents and bird of every breed.

It was no surprise when, for his 7th birthday his elder sister had surprised him with a puppy of his very own.

Needless to say, it had been a stray puppy, abandoned by its mother, and his elder sister had figured that both Kiba and the dog would be a perfect match for each other. Kiba was affectionate (he showed this by constantly spraying his elder sister with a water gun—she figured this was his way of hugging her), and this dog needed affection (or just someone to gallivant around their large backyard with).

But Kiba had other pets, too.

Kittens who had been left when their mother had gotten hit by a car, rabbits, ferrets, hamsters, mice, rats, chinchilla's, a snake or two, an iguana and a tarantula, three gecko's and a parakeet.

But they all paled in comparison to his dog.

However, this was all beside the point, because despite the fact that Kiba Inuzuka had been brought up around commotion, calamity, weirdness and strange happenings…had you woken him up that morning and told him that Tenten, a girl from his graduating class, would by laying out on his front lawn being doused by the sprinklers…

Well, he would have laughed roughly for about 5 minutes, slapped you on the shoulder for a joke well done, and then growled to leave him alone, he needed rest.

Too bad that no one had warned him previously, because then he could have at least been semi-prepared.

**XXX**

Sasuke's black eye was swelling more, he could barely open his lid, it hurt so much, like that time back in grade school when he had gotten a bee sting just above his left eyebrow.

He wondered how he was going to get more of the Hyuuga girls salve…maybe he would call her and ask her to bring some by.

It wasn't too much to ask, was it?

She wasn't holding a grudge against him, at least he didn't think so…she had taken him like a stray for fuck's sake!

Maybe she just had a knack for it. Look at who had taken her to prom—the Inuzuka! Talk about a stray.

He laughed like a loon, now feeling in better spirits and more like himself.

Then he abruptly stopped.

Did Sasuke ever really laugh?

The answer was no. He didn't, unless it was himself laughing at his own sick joke, and it was never a large, outright laugh.

Grumbling and uttering a few colorful words, the young man scrambled for the phone, and withdrew it from the cradle.

He began dialing some numbers, and then paused…

What the hell was that girl's phone number?

**XXX**

Clutter wasn't something that usually annoyed Hinata, mostly because she didn't have to tolerate it a lot.

She was relatively neat and tidy, and usually her maids took care of any extreme messes—like that one from graduation night—so she didn't usually have to.

Of course she'd constantly offer her help, and it made her feel nice cleaning up a mess she helped create.

The young girl stood in front of the clutter of things around her room.

She had thrown off her prom dress in a heap on the floor, her shoes had been discarded, bandages and their packages strewn carelessly, blankets and pillows scattered, and a melted bag of ice, seeping onto her floor.

Sighing, Hinata began cleaning up, wanting to do it all herself before Neji came in.

Afterwards she'd call Ino back, give her friend some time to collect herself before freaking out on Hinata over what the Uchiha had said.

The Uchiha.

She wondered if he was going to be alright.

Sure, she was still angry with him to some extent; it came and went though, in waves. Sometimes it wasn't there, sometimes she got extremely furious, and then it'd begin to ebb away.

Folding a blanket underneath one arm and securing a pillow underneath the other, Hinata placed them both in her closet on the very top where a high shelf sat for small keepsakes, such as old Christmas decorations or stuffed animals from when she was a child.

There was a sharp knock on her door as the young girl shoved the blanket and its pillow companion together.

"Yes?" she called out, walking towards the door to open it.

Neji stood, looking none too pleased,

"Phone." He thrust it into her grip, then continued down the hall complaining about how he could never get a wink of sleep in this 'goddamn house'.

"H-hello?" the young girl called into the phone's receiver,

"Hinata?" a voice ricocheted out of the receiver, commanding and strong.

"Ah! F-Father!" the young girl smiled tentatively as if he were in that exact room, staring her down, "How is the trip?"

**XXX**

Sasuke growled, throwing the large phonebook against the wall.

Too bad that he had the weakest throw in the entire world, because the phonebook only sailed a few inches and fell flat onto the floor, a few pages absently flipping over each other.

"Stupid ass phone book—doesn't even have the damned girl's number in it!"

He grunted and flopped onto the couch again, and instead picked up the phone and angrily dialed Naruto's number.

At least he knew THAT one off the top of his head.

The young man sat, the phone held against his ear, waiting for a dial tone before he began to punch in the numbers.

Once the call was being sent through, he waited rather patiently for an answer as the phone rang…

And rang…

And rang…

And ran—

"What the FUCK do you WANT?" Naruto Uzumaki roared into the receiver.

His sour mood was increasing by the hour, and it was very unlike him to answer the phone like this in fear it was someone important, like a college professor, the principal, his grandparents…

Or Sakura.

He hoped it was Sakura on the other end.

"The hell is eating you, Uzumaki?" Sasuke hissed, perturbed that this boy would DARE answer to him like that.

"Mind your own business, U-CHI-HA!" SLAM!

Oh, so that's the thanks he got for paying for that stupid ass limo?

He dialed the number again and this time when Naruto picked up, Sasuke wasted no time in telling the other young man that he better be damned grateful he wasn't going to expect a payback for the limo rental…

"GOOD BECAUSE I WASN'T GOING TO GIVE YOU ANYTHING!"

That was a lie, and usually Naruto was bad with lies, but this one didn't faze the Uchiha at all—it was Naruto, Naruto always paid back, rather it five years from now, but at least he paid back his debts.

It was one of his few good qualities.

"What's wrong, Naruto? Damn, is this some kind of role reversal or some shit? Reverse psychology?"

"More like Sakura was a bitch and broke it off," Naruto grumbled, and Sasuke heard him gulp down a drink.

Sasuke rolled his eyes.

Relationships were a waste of time, he knew this, but he wasn't going to lecture his friend with 'I told you so'-s.

"Are you drinking alcohol?" Sasuke grimaced, vowing to never have a drink ever again.

"No you dolt, water," this time the reply was calmer. Maybe the young man had just needed to get that Sakura thing off of his chest.

"Dolt? That's a new one, dobe," Sasuke sighed, resting his head against the couch's armrest.

"Yeah, you like?" gulp, "So why did you call me anyway?"

"I need Hyuuga's number." Sasuke responded, trying his best to sound nonchalant.

"What? You want to call and tell Hinata you're coming to rape her?"

Sasuke groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"No…" sigh.

"That was a load of bullshit, Sasuke; I mean…what the hell! Have you even SPOKEN to Hinata? Once?"

Sasuke only exhaled.

"I'm obviously not in the mood for you ignoring my questions, as much as you don't want to answer them."

"I don't want to talk about it, alright? What's their number, just tell me it and we both can rest easy."

"Fine, but I'm not forgetting this…" Naruto began, reciting the number as Sasuke copied it down onto the back of his hand with a nearby ballpoint pen.

"Hey…mind giving me a ride there?" Sasuke asked very blasé.

He was answered with a swift slam of the phone.

**XXX**

Kiba was entirely unsure about what to do with the young girl.

Sure, he and Tenten were friendly, a conversation every now and then, but he didn't know the girl well enough to just pick her up, lay her on his couch, then explain about what had happened…and why she was soaking wet.

But the boy—despite how "manly" he claimed to be, had been raised entirely by females (his mother and elder sister), and of course wasn't just going to leave her in his yard with the sprinklers whirring.

So, instead, he went over to the automatic sprinkler keypad, and turned them off.

Now his conscience was a bit clearer.

**XXX**

**NEWSFLASH**!

_I decided to separate the __chapters :D_

_Yay me?_

_Haha :P_

_So, anyway, drop some love—please? __A nice little review or two?_

_Thanks!_

_xoxo_


	6. Chapter 6

**The Denial Twist**

x.x.x

_**p0g0stick**_

x.x.x

**Separate Chapters ftw!**

**Read and review!**

**3k hits and 40 reviews?**

**Haha!**

**And for those who are still reading, ****next chapter will be up on Tuesday—AND THERE ARE KISSY ****FACES :O**

**Double yay!**

**XXX**

**Disclaimer: **Naruto? Me? PAHAHA.

**XXX**

_"So now you're left, denying the truth_

_And it's getting in the wisdom in the back of your tooth_

_You need to spit it out, in a telephone booth_

_While you call everyone that you know, and ask 'em, __'Where do you think she goes'?"_

**XXX**

The conversation with her father had been short and sweet, a quick exchange of, 'how are you?'-s, and some questions about the last week (asked by her father), with questions of how Hanabi's boarding school tour and orientation (asked by Hinata).

Near the end, Hinata had asked to speak to her younger sister, and spent a good twenty minutes of Hanabi ranting and raving about Randall Avery Preparatory School for Girls (she; 'liked the gothic-esque chapel and the awesome food,' but, 'hated' her peers with 'the utmost intensity—they were such snobs'.)

Once the young girl had hung up with her younger sister and father, wishing them a safe journey home and writing down their flight numbers, she placed the phone back on its cradle in Neji's room.

Only to have it ring again the second she placed it back.

"I'M NOT ANSWERING IT," Neji seethed, lying still in his bed, the covers completely covering his lithe frame.

Hinata laughed at her poor cousin's misfortune and picked the phone back up, pressing the 'answer' button and holding the body to her right ear.

"Hello?"

The young girl left her elder cousin's room, closing the door behind her softly as she went, trying to give the poor man a peace of mind.

"Hyuuga?"

Hinata sighed, hadn't she just dropped this boy home?

"Y-yes? I hate to sound rude, but I just spoke to you about forty five minutes ago…"

The young man groaned on the other end of the receiver, running his hands repeatedly through his messy hair.

He hated asking for favors.

"Can…fuck, can you bring me some of that salve stuff? The ointment? My swellings getting worse…"

"Do you have any ice?" Hinata asked, knowing that at least if he had ice and painkillers he could manage for the remainder of the day.

"What the hell…do I look like a penguin to you?"

The young girl groaned inwardly, annoyed slightly at the young man's response.

"Yes, a stupid, incompetent penguin that can't do anything for himself and must rely on other's to do things for him." She huffed into the receiver, hoping that at least that hit a deep chord. How rude could one person be? She was only being nice!

On the other end, Sasuke ground his teeth together, knowing that if he didn't ask and answer nicely that he'd be stuck with this horrible, swollen eye.

He hated being respectable sometimes.

And asking for help.

But he wasn't going to apologize.

"No, Hyuu-HINATA. Can you…please…bring the. Salve. To. Me?"

The young girl pondered this question for a few minutes, unsure of how to answer. Truthfully, she really wanted to call Ino back, or maybe stop by the young girl's house.

But taking the ointment to Sasuke wouldn't take long, and then she could just drop it off to him and go straight to Ino's from there.

Besides, Hinata preferred talking in person to talking on the phone, unless they were someone as brooding and demeaning as her father…or Sasuke.

She shuddered.

Had he been here in person, it would have been difficult for her to call him stupid, incompetent and whatever else she had called him.

But then again, had her anger clouded her vision and her thoughts, she wouldn't have cared.

Only, once she had said it, he would have probably kicked her in the stomach and sucked her blood.

That's what vampires did right?

The young girl sighed.

She was being cruel now.

So, to take her mind off of her cruelness, she began to gather up supplies inside her little white box to take to Sasuke.

**XXX**

Naruto kicked the phone and its cradle off of his bedroom side table.

It clattered to the floor and the crack it made, echoing through the house, seemed to satisfy the young man somehow.

Naruto Uzumaki wasn't one to hold back emotions, or try to smooth them over, or even bottle them up, unless it meant hiding something from someone else to protect their feelings.

He was honest, but not brutally, he didn't usually want to damage people like that.

Right now, he found his emotions getting the best of him, and tears began to seep out through his shut eyelids. They rolled down his cheekbones, and fell down onto his angular jaw line. The last time Naruto had cried was when he had received his college acceptance letter, but those were tears of happiness.

These tears, were because he had done something so wrong, so completely out of line, and it was all because of Sakura Haruno.

But Sakura, he didn't want to blame her, he didn't want to pin the fault on her, because he was taking the break up so badly.

It wasn't her fault she didn't like him anymore.

And Sasuke! Sasuke fucking Uchiha, one of his best friends…this was probably all over him!

But Naruto couldn't hate anybody.

These two conflicting emotions, grief and hatred, they didn't mix well, and the young man was pretty sure that he had never felt these two different emotions, at least not at the same time. He had felt each at least once, but never together.

Never.

And that's why it kind of scared him.

**XXX**

"I don't usually do house calls," Hinata smiled wanly, entering Sasuke's house.

It was all as she had remembered it a few hours ago.

Overgrown vines, dilapidated stones and weeds constricting and sucking the life out of anything else that lived inside the yard…Hinata bet that if she just stood there, after a few minutes vines would be creeping up her legs and weeds would be trying to rip her sandals to shreds.

How utterly terrifying it was.

She had always imagined the Uchiha mansion to be…sort of…

…clean, neat…pristine…much like her own…but it was the complete opposite.

And she felt that way about the inside too.

Sasuke basically snubbed her and went over to sit on a dark colored couch in what the young girl took to be his living room. The floors were all neatly tiled with marble, and the walls were all a soft white, but there were used clothes all over the floor, unwashed dishes in the sink, bags upon bags of garbage, used napkins and wash cloths strewn, and a pot of coffee that was about three days old, judging by its smell.

The young man's eye was swollen over painfully, you could tell. A deep, brackish purple-black ring lined below his eye and around the brow arch. Hinata had to control the reflexive wince that she had felt approaching when she saw it.

His lip had healed nicely, but Hinata was sure that Sasuke couldn't even open his swollen eye, and had to rely on the vision of the other.

She began mulling over how much the size of the tender skin around had increased as she started to pick up Sasuke's old clothes and fold them onto his kitchen counter.

When the young girl didn't follow Sasuke into his living room, he turned around and caught her picking through his mess.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"O-organizing your house, it makes me s-sick to have to see all of this mess," and this was the truth. She could only tolerate so much. It was like some horrible disease.

The young man rolled his one good eye and strode angrily back over to the young girl.

"I'm a grown man, I can take care of myself," he grabbed her hand, forcing her to drop his black jean pants he had last worn four days ago, "now hurry up and give me the stuff and then you can leave."

"Fine," Hinata pulled her wrist out of Sasuke's much larger grasp and grabbed her white medicine box she had placed atop the young man's kitchen table.

Carrying the box over to the couch, with Sasuke trailing behind, Hinata sat down onto the couch and the young man followed suit. She turned to stare at him, noting that even sitting down he was much taller than her.

But still just as thin.

Did he even eat?

He obviously couldn't—there were no clean utensils or plates! What did he eat on? And there were enough garbage bags to fill a city dump!

The young girl took out the ointment, and unscrewed the cap dabbing a small dosage onto her index finger.

"Don't move," she instructed so seriously, Sasuke almost found it humorous and had to suck in his mocking laughter, in fear that she'd have all she could take and just leave him, swollen, bruised and all.

The cold salve tickled and soothed him at the same time, and he shivered.

"Why is it so cold?"

"Be quiet, and don't move or else I'll poke you in your eye," she commanded, and he groaned.

Hinata felt like slapping the silly boy, he groaned and complained too much, it could really gnaw away on one's optimism.

When she had properly covered the area, she drew out a large gauze bandage and placed it entirely over his eye. You didn't have to, really, but it didn't matter—tough shit, it wasn't like he could open it anyway.

"Why are you covering my entire eye with this bandage?"

She didn't answer him.

"Fine," the young man groused, pulling his face away from the young girl's hands.

"Don't move!" the young girl commanded, grabbing Sasuke's face and pulling it back to face her, completely clueless of just how close they truly were, as she had been working on his eye from his profile.

Their noses almost touched.

"Well, aren't you done?" The young man demanded, completely etching out any uneasiness the young Hyuuga girl was feeling.

When Hinata didn't move her hands from his face, Sasuke frowned.

"Are you going to let go of my face?" he questioned, watching a light blush seep across the ridge of Hinata's nose.

"A-ah, yes, sorry," Her fingers quickly moved from the young man's cheeks onto her lap.

She cursed her light blush, wishing that instead she could feel incredible hatred towards this young man. Her heated face cooled quickly, however, when she remembered how rude he had been today…and last night.

"Alright, just put some ice on it—" Hinata began but was quickly interrupted by Sasuke.

"I don't have ice," Sasuke groused, glaring at her with his one good eye.

He'd seen her blush. He knew it—she was just like every single other girl.

Then the young girl glared fiercely back at him just as she had that other day in the car.

"Then go make some," she commanded.

"Make some? Do I look like I have an ice maker in my house?" Sasuke glared back harder, eyes like slits.

"It's the simplest task, you numbskull. Pour water into an ice container and freeze them. Even if they are only in the freezer for an hour they should be pretty cold; and then you can put them into a plastic bag…" this time, instead, the girl lowered her glare and just looked at him without any emotion.

This perturbed Sasuke even more than when she had been glaring at him—now her expression was completely unreadable!

That wasn't fair.

"I don't own an ice container, or any plastic bags," He snubbed her, moving over to the other side of the couch and leaning into the corner were the sofa's arm met the back.

He grabbed the remote control from the nearby side table and switched the television on.

"What DO you have in this house? Do you at least have a bathroom? I bet it hasn't been cleaned in years!"

Actually, this was true. Sasuke couldn't remember the last time he had fully cleaned his house…or did any chores.

His silence said it all, as he flicked the channel to some trashy mid-morning talk show. Once he had done so, there were a lot of high-pitched beeps, censoring the foul language that the talk show guests were spewing.

"…do you mean to tell me that this house hasn't been cleaned in years?"

More silence, the only noise emitting from the television set.

"…Not since my brother went to college," the young man finally spoke, raising one foot onto the couch. It almost touched Hinata's thigh.

"How long ago was that?" Hinata asked, choosing to stand now instead.

Sasuke shrugged and turned off the television.

"Are you done? You can leave now," he sighed, "need me to show you the way out?"

"So you just live in this mess? You don't bother to at least clean it up a bit?" She gestured wildly to the clothes and dirty dishes.

"Why not? They'll just be there again within a day or two…" he stared at his dirty clothes, "…I don't know how to do laundry." Sasuke shrugged again and tilted his head back to stare at his ceiling fan.

Silence enveloped them.

It hung for a few minutes before Hinata broke it.

"Alright, good-bye then, Sasuke," She walked towards the door, trying to effortlessly dodge the mess.

Until she tripped over a large 20 ounce water bottle and fell down, colliding with the kitchen table and a large pile of the young man's clothes.

Sasuke groaned, slapping his head over his face.

What a clumsy girl.

**XXX**

Neji Hyuuga was finally getting some decent rest.

The house was completely still, and he was rolled into a cocoon inside his bed, hair tucked into a hair tie and wearing a simple shirt and boxer shorts.

On the east side of his bedroom, the window was open releasing a soft summer breeze.

_This_ was the life.

Well, it was until…

'_DING-DONNG…_

_DING-D_

_DING-D_

_DING_

_DING _

_DING_!'

"SOMEBODY ANSWER THE BLOODY DOOR!"

The Hyuuga seethed.

They had 6 bloody maids inside this house, (or was it seven…? Eight…? Oh well, who cared! There were enough to go and get the door!)

More 'ding-ing' ensued and eventually the young man got out of the warm confines of his bed and stormed to the door. It was difficult, he noted, stumbling down two stair cases in a sleep-deprived state, as he tripped up a few of the bottom stairs on the last case, landing on his bottom on the floor.

Grumbling, Neji rubbed his sore bottom and unlocked the front door, pulling it open to reveal a very distraught looking Ino Yamanaka.

Wow.

She was a mess.

Her hair was pulled back into a low ponytail, not high like she usually had it, and her usual beige complexion was rather…

…red.

Her nose was a deep, sore scarlet color, probably the result of having blown it too many times. Her cheeks were smudged rouge, too distraught to be make-up, and her eyes were rimmed unflattering with a lighter red shade.

The young girl was wearing what looked to be her pajamas, an oversized shirt with their old school's sports team on the front. It was a deep gray, and there were specks of water littering the front of it.

She was wearing long, baggy cotton pants with candy canes on them…Christmas in June?

"Ino…?" Neji couldn't believe that this was Ino—she never went anywhere without any make-up on, he knew this as a fact when he and Hinata were younger, and Ino had come over countless times to sleepover, each time declaring to not leave the house without a nice, even base coat of foundation, some mascara and a touch of gloss.

"Is H-Hinata home, N-Neji?" Ino asked, stuttering slightly.

"Uh…last I checked…come in, you can go up to her room," the young man ushered her in, praying to God to not let this young girl burst into tears in front of him.

Neji was surrounded by female family members, but despite that, he was still bad with a crying female.

He was powerless against it.

Whenever Hinata or Hanabi were having a rough time, the young man left it to the maids or the girl's female friends to console them.

When girls and tears were involved, Neji Hyuuga knew to stay far, far, FAR away from it.

"Thank-y-you, Neji," Ino mumbled, climbing through the doorway as the young man in front of her moved to the side, and watched as she climbed the stairs at a snail's pace.

The young man followed behind her, but at a suitable distance.

Girls and their hormones.

**XXX**

"I cannot believe that this happened," Hinata groaned, massaging her left ankle. It was growing slightly red and sore.

"It's your own stupid clumsiness," the Uchiha sighed, walking over to the young girl who was on a surprisingly clear spot on his floor.

"No, it's your mess, that's what it is," Hinata grumbled, flushing underneath the elder man's fierce gaze. Not only was he intimidating, but now she was embarrassed having ruined her confident strut, which was supposed to lead her out the door in a triumphant blaze…

…and instead left her on the floor with a twisted ankle.

"My mess was here before you, you're intruding in on its space." The young man commented, kicking away an old pair of pants.

Instead of offering him and answer, Hinata ignored Sasuke and began trying to rotate her foot.

She winced in pain.

Carefully, the young girl grabbed onto Sasuke's kitchen table and tried to lift herself up, but failed miserably when she pressed weight onto her ankle and foot.

Lowering herself back onto the marble floor, the young girl sighed and stared over into the living room where the young Uchiha had retired to once she had ignored his verbal stab.

Hinata was usually the one to be giving help, and when she needed to be given it, she didn't feel like asking for it.

Especially from this young man.

But Hinata swallowed her small bit of pride and decided to ask.

"Ah…Sasuke…c-can you…" she paused to sigh, and catch herself, "can you help me onto the sofa?"

The young girl braced herself for whatever the Uchiha would throw at her next.

But instead he didn't answer her.

The only thing that the young girl heard was a long sigh, and the shifting of couch cushions as the young man walked over to her, making a makeshift path through the junk that littered his house.

Surprising enough, he actually grabbed her on her upper left arm and placed it over his shoulders, helping her to her feet. Once she was standing on her sturdy right foot, the young man helped Hinata hobble over to his couch and placed her down.

"Thank-you," the young girl mumbled, rubbing her sore ankle.

The Uchiha shrugged, and then sat down beside her,

"So how are you going to get home now?"

Hinata looked at him.

"I should have known," Sasuke sighed, cradling his head in his hands.

**XXX**

Tenten woke up face down on a cushion, her arm underneath her stomach, legs sore, and soaking wet.

Her hair was knotted and smelled like soil as she sat up in an unfamiliar bed, groaning as her arm she had been laying on produced pins and needles from being numb for so long.

"Where am I?" The young girl asked, but no one answered.

The bed she was in was a single, covered in thick blue sheets and a comforter, inside a room of the same light blue as the bed's sheets.

Slowly, the young girl lowered herself from the bed and walked over to the vanity mirror inside the room, grimacing at her own reflection. Make-up was smudged (why had she let Ino put some on her?) her dress was inside out (god only knows how she got it zipped up like that) and her hair was soaking wet and hanging down in distressed waves.

Sick of seeing her reflection, Tenten instead walked over to the door, and opened it tentatively.

The young girl winced as she heard a cruel, loud howl, ricocheting throughout the hallway she was staring into.

"Goddammit, shut up! We have someone sleeping in the guest room, silly dog," a voice rose up against the large howl, and instead, the howl turned into a whimper.

Tenten began creeping down the hallway, the tiles beneath her feet were cool and comforting compared to the sore blisters she was developing on the balls and heels of her feet.

Once she reached the end, the young girl looked into the room connected to the hall, and realized that it was a kitchen. There was a young man, his back turned to her, wearing a white shirt and plaid boxer bottoms. He was angrily running his hands through his unruly brown hair.

Then the young girl spotted the dog.

"Kiba?" Tenten wondered aloud, and the young man confirmed her thoughts (and disbelief) as he turned to look at her.

Next to him, his dog, Akamaru turned too, and began galloping to the strange girl, growling.

Tenten shrieked at the running dog, and ran back into the room, slamming her door just before the dog could reach her.

Panting, she turned and locked the door out of pure fear.

She had never been too much of an animal person. Sure, she loved the outdoors better than any person she knew, and did not mind insects (bugs), amphibians (frogs), reptiles (snakes, lizards), birds…even cats and dogs were nice, even rabbits!

But she did not do well with a wild animal pounding after her.

The horror!

Once her breathing relaxed back to normal, the young girl slowly got up, and pressed her ear to the closed door, trying to listen through to see if she heard the dog anywhere by the door.

"Tenten!" Kiba called, followed by a few quick knocks, "sorry about Akamaru! He didn't mean any harm, I swear…look, I put him outside, and he won't come after you again."

That seemed to satisfy the young girl and on the other side, Kiba heard a silent click and breathed a sigh of relief.

Now how he was going to tell the young girl what had happened? That was another story entirely…

Gradually, Kiba watched as the young girls head poked out from behind the door, her eyes becoming level with his chest.

That couldn't be helped—he was quite tall.

He would guess that he was about six feet tall, but he hadn't measured his height in the past two years, so the young man had no clue.

"I'm sorry about that, you see, Akamaru just saw you as an intruder…"

"N-no, it's alright, it's no problem," the young girl responded, slowly removing her from the room. She closed her eyes, trying to catch herself again.

"So…why am I here? With you?" Tenten questioned, her eyebrows furrowing.

He wasn't the one she had been with last night, so why was she suddenly inside his house, sleeping in his bed?

Bit by bit, pieces of the small hours of the morning flooded into her mind, but they were so clouded over by sleep that Tenten couldn't make heads or tails of it all. All of the memories were so blurry, even certain bits of prom.

"You passed out on my front lawn," Kiba sighed, feeling almost sorry for the poor girl. She was one of Hinata's close friends, and they had ridden in the same limo together to prom…

But other than her being Hinata's close friend, and having her in his high school biology class, the young man knew little to nothing about her.

Tenten's eyes widened then became drastically forlorn and large, like a calf's…then eventually her eyebrows furrowed and she was scowling childishly.

"I don't recall passing out…" She mumbled.

"I don't expect you to…?" Kiba responded, looking completely perplexed.

Did she really think he had done something to her?

No way!

Kiba was very good natured…most of the time. Sure he had a bit of a reputation from a few girls he had dated and…well…with, but for the most part he was very tame…

Eh, scratch that.

He wasn't always tamed.

But he had gotten better in the past few years, really.

When the young man had first entered high school he had…had his moments, but he wouldn't recall them.

Of course, a good party every now and then didn't bother him, as he had quite the appetite for hard liquor and alcohol.

It was just something that you picked up along the way; it wasn't like he drunk a six-pack at day and then had a good round of tequila shots at night. He was a social drinker, having a beer every now and then and when the setting and scene called for it…a few harder drinks.

But nothing over the top.

If one thought they knew Kiba, one would think that he was the prime description of 'over-the-top'.

The truth was, as many people thought they did…no one really knew the true description of Kiba. He'd leave that to his closer friends—Hinata, Naruto, Shino…those three who knew Kiba better than probably himself.

"So…you didn't…do…any—" the young girl began, but Kiba cut her off.

"No. No, no, no." he shook his head and his arms together at the same time.

"Alright," Tenten stared up at the young man still, "so what happened then?"

"I told you—you passed out on my front lawn!" Kiba protested, "I came out to check on the sprinkler system, you were there on the grass asleep, I swear."

He made a holy cross sign with his finger tips. Down, up and across.

"So…what did happen then?" it was more of a rhetorical question, and the young girl had muttered it underneath her breath, then stared up at the young man, "where's your bathroom?"

"There's one in the room you're in—on the right, see that door? Right through there."

He watched as the young girl made her way into the bathroom, shutting the door behind her.

Something told him whatever had happened last night, wasn't good.

**XXX**

"Ah! You're—ah! Hurting me! Put me down—P-p-put me d-d-down!" Hinata whimpered, thrashing inside the Uchiha's arms.

"Shut up, you're fine," Sasuke grumbled, "now hold onto my neck or else I'll drop you and you'll have more than just a twisted ankle."

Hinata silently complied, wrapping her arms around the young man's neck and latching each hand with another.

When she had asked the young man to take her home, she hadn't exactly expected him to wrap his arms around the back of her knees and mid-back, and then lift her up, airborne.

Hadn't it just been a few hours ago she had helped HIM down her hallway and down HER steps?

And she doubted the Uchiha could lift her anyway—he was so thin, looked so weak…and he suffered from lack of sleep, lack of food…it was rather perplexing how he had found the strength to lift her.

Granted she was rather petite, but still…

He smelled like sweat.

The little hairs on the back of his neck rubbed against her wrists, and she kept shifting her hands, which should have annoyed the Uchiha but each time she snuck a look at her carrier, he simply stared ahead.

Really, Sasuke Uchiha wasn't one to go prancing around, carrying strange girls he had almost seen naked to their cars, but he still felt bad for being so rude to her (since when did Sasuke Uchiha CARE?) and there was no way they could both hobble across the mess that was his front yard, what with all of the vines, broken stepping stones and overgrown weeds.

And he liked the way her small hands felt behind his neck.

Every now and then she would shift them, and they would brush against the back of his neck and hair so softly, that the young man felt so…_relaxed_and so…well, almost content.

It was _too_ nice.

But just like that clicking sound she made in the car, he didn't complain, just quietly enjoyed it.

Enjoy.

That wasn't a word he had used in a while.

Also, he didn't want to have to talk to her, because then he'd want to talk to her face, and somehow he knew that if he talked to her to her face, his eyes would begin to drift…and drift…down to her ample cleavage which was easily viewable through her tank top.

It wasn't his fault; he couldn't control what she wore.

Or what his eyes did.

Once the duo had reached the car, Sasuke slowly placed her on her feet and leaned her against the hood of the car.

For a split second, as the young man had placed her down and began to rise from resting her legs against the cars grill, their noses had momentarily brushed. Hinata's arms were still tightly wound around the young man, and this had only increased the proximity between the two, making this small brush very awkward and uncomfortable for two people who weren't technically used to contact beyond their comfort zones.

Especially with the opposite sex.

Bar that Sasuke had been pulled, prodded, pushed and groped more than enough during his life, but that didn't mean that he had enjoyed it…

…or counted it as physical contact, more like just being pushed around like someone's rag doll.

Hinata was used to contact with her friends and family, but not with some complete stranger.

Sasuke, well, he wasn't a COMPLETE stranger…but he wasn't a friend, maybe just bordering on acquaintance.

Hinata could smell the ointment she had put on his eye.

It was sickeningly minty.

Both pulled away quickly, and Sasuke backed away by two steps.

"Where are your keys?" he asked, a bit miffed that for a second he had actually let down this large wall he had taken so many years building…for this girl.

This pathetic girl, with her twisted ankle…and her weak stutter…and her clumsy nature…and her…

"H-here," Hinata mumbled, jingling the keys out to him.

The young man grabbed them, and opened the car, getting into the driver's seat.

Hinata sighed, guessing that he wasn't going to come and get her. Instead, she hobbled around the hood of the car and slid into the passenger seat, pushing the chair back so much so that she could stretch out both of her legs.

Sasuke avoided her form at all costs, and instead started the car, fiddling with the air conditioner as he did so.

"Did you…did you lock your house?" Hinata inquired, noting that the man hadn't gone back to lock his door. Wasn't he afraid of being robbed?

"It doesn't matter, I'll be back here in a few minutes…this neighbourhood is pretty safe…I bet no one thinks that I live there," he grumbled, fixing the mirrors inside the car so that he could easily see the road behind him.

"Y-you…you do know how to drive…d-don't you?" Hinata asked, probing more at him.

"No, I just carry around my license because I like to look at myself," the young man rolled his one good eye, and Hinata blushed furiously.

And angrily.

"I was j-just asking…" Hinata sighed, fiddling with a strand of hair.

Afraid to ask another question, lest that the young man bite her head off, Hinata silently wondered to herself if he could even drive with one eye.

Maybe she should dr—

He began reversing and trying to make a three point turn and Hinata's thoughts were caught off guard as he jerkily switched gears more times than necessary.

Hinata buckled in tight.

**XXX**

Ino wheezed into the tissue that Neji had offered her.

The young man sighed.

This girl hadn't been inside this house for less than 5 minutes and he had to come running because he had feared that something had happened to her when he heard a bloodcurdling shriek.

Instead he had found her, a clump on Hinata's floor, hands over her eyes and breathing in ragged breaths.

So now, Ino Yamanaka could add Neji Hyuuga to the ever growing list of people who had actually seen her shedding tears, and it made her angry with herself.

Ino's pride 'bar' was set high.

Her most used seven deadly sin was pride, she thought highly of herself most of the time and lead other's to think high of her also.

Ino wasn't just any other girl, any other 'person'.

She was a strong, stable, confident, brave and at the same time, caring, gentle, and honest.

But Ino wasn't weak, and she hated being so vulnerable, especially around Neji Hyuuga, who was probably almost as close to her boyfriend (was he still her boyfriend now?) than her or Chouji Akimichi…

It was so depressing, and sickeningly ironic.

So it was so embarrassing, when Neji Hyuuga had come in, extremely hesitant, and offered an unopened packet of on-the-go tissues.

She ripped through that pack, using every single tissue, within the following five minutes. And she dared not look at Neji, who was kneeling down in front of her, watching awkwardly as Ino blew her nose, wiped her eyes and cheeks, ran her hands through her hair, then broke down and began the same cycle again.

Neji was not very in touch with his feminine side, much opposed to popular belief as mentioned before, and when a girl was crying, he would probably be the first to be excused from a room.

But now, Neji was unsure of what to do.

Ino couldn't just sit here, all alone, without his cousin, crying her eyes out.

Neji wouldn't probe, he hated when it was done to him, but he'd just sit there on his knees until Hinata returned home.

Wherever his cousin had gone…she was disappearing a lot lately. It was very unlike her.

Just like it was very unlike the Uchiha to get drunk and slur a whole…colourful…

Whatever—that was in the past now, and he was going to just let it go. Now, as he tried to direct his gaze from Ino he stared at the clock on the wall and sighed.

It was well past noon.

The young man had gotten a substantial amount of sleep anyway.

But, Neji's ears perked up as he heard a car door slam.

Hinata was home?

**XXX**

The young girl groaned as Sasuke closed the driver's door, and waited outside by her gate for her to get out.

But she didn't budge.

He was going to help her, whether he liked it or not.

It took Sasuke a few minutes to realize that Hinata was not going to leave the car, and groaned. He didn't feel like…touching her…again. It made him uncomfortable, to be so close to a girl without her forcing herself on him.

He was letting her be close to him.

Physically, not emotionally.

No one would ever pass THAT barrier; at least he was sure no one would…

Sasuke grumbled again, slamming his fist on the car's door. Hinata ignored it, finding his fits of anger now slightly humorous.

The young man opened her door, and leaned down, picking her up again as he had done so before, gruffly asking her to place her arms around his neck (wincing as she did so, and struggling against the nice feeling he got as her fingers curved around his spine.)

There was no way that her hands were purely natural—they were too soft, too small to be real. Pissed at himself for letting himself enjoy the feeling, he stomped off, trying to hold onto Hinata tight enough so that she didn't fall.

At the doorstep, he placed her down, and grimaced as her right hand stayed on his shoulder, keeping her balance.

She squeezed it as she began to fall the opposite way, and this made his muscles tense.

"Where are your keys for the door?"

"I…d-don't have t-the—"

The door opened towards the pair.

**XXX**

"What…the hell, Hinata?" Neji's eyes widened, seeing Hinata's small hand on the Uchiha's shoulder.

His younger cousin just sighed and didn't satisfy him with any other answer.

"Hinata, answer me," Neji seethed, beginning to get very impatient, "why are you with the Uchiha?"

Hinata groaned this time, surprising Neji.

"It's a long story, alright? Can you help me inside Neji, my ankle is twisted," the young girl reached out her hands to her cousin and he complied, steadying her and helping her hobble towards her room.

Sasuke stood awkwardly in the hallway, and then began to turn.

"Don't leave just yet, Uchiha…I want to talk to you," Neji growled, and made sure that instead, Sasuke closed the door behind him and followed the other two up the stairs. Neji turned to his younger cousin, "you have a visitor…Ino came…I don't know what the hell happened but she's spilling more water than a crack in a dam."

Hinata stiffened.

Ino never cried.

The last time Ino had cried was when her parents had divorced. But that had only been a few tears. The young girl had cried into Hinata's shoulder, and Hinata had in turn just stroked her head and whispered a few comforting words.

It hadn't been much, but soon Ino had shed all the tears she had, complained about a headache, and fallen asleep on Tenten's bedroom floor, where the two girls had been for a sleepover.

Tenten had been making scrambled eggs and blueberry waffles for breakfast, and trying to send her younger brother's off to baseball and tee-ball practice.

Ino made Hinata promise not to tell anyone she had cried, and Hinata had complied.

But now…why was Ino crying? She had let Neji see, so that meant this thing was big.

"Alright…she's in my room?" Hinata asked and Neji answered her with a curt nod.

Hinata paused in front of her door, and tentatively knocked before entering. Sasuke wished he could make a noise at this, since it was technically Hinata's room…what did it matter if she walked in on Ino doing anything?

Once inside, Hinata turned and closed the door before Neji and Sasuke could protest.

"My room," Neji hissed to Sasuke, "…now."

And both of the young men turned and walked towards Neji's room.

Sasuke grumbling the whole way.

**XXX**

"Ino…" Hinata gasped at her friend. Ino was curled on the floor, sniffling and blowing her nose every now and then.

"H-Hina?" Ino asked, perplexed, and looked over to where she believed the young girl to be, "Oh, Hina! O-oh, H-hina, it was so awful…I did…and then…and I didn't want to…and Sakura…" Ino collapsed into Hinata's arms, and the younger girl rocked her elder friend back and forth, smoothing her distressed blonde tendrils with one free hand.

"Wait…how does Sakura come into play with this?" Hinata questioned, and Ino looked up at her friend, her red-rimmed eyes making the blue stand out brightly, and bluer than a cloudless sky. It was so eerie it was beautiful.

"I…oh, Hina…I…I was a horrible friend…I…me…Naruto, and then…" Ino collapsed again, groaning and sobbing, hiccupping and blowing her nose.

Hinata just cradled her friend inside her arms, and soothed her by humming a lullaby.

Within two minutes, Ino had fallen asleep, and Hinata instead woke her up, helped her walk to the bed (even on her swollen ankle) and put Ino to bed.

It was going to be a long week.

**XXX**

Neji sat on his bed, and offered a chair to Sasuke, the one right by his desk.

Sasuke shook his head.

"That's alright, I'll stand," he cleared his throat, resisting the urge to touch his black eye in front of the man who had given it to him.

"Suit yourself," Neji sighed, and ran his hands through his long hair.

Sasuke watched the young man warily.

"I'm not going to come at you again," Neji growled, "I just want to know why."

Sasuke looked out the window.

He couldn't tell Neji about what happened. Bar that it was so embarrassing to both him and Hinata—he had been stuck outside, had sought refuge in Hinata's room then seen her in simply a towel and nothing else—but that he didn't want to tell Neji, for fear that the young man WOULD come after him.

What could he say?

That he was attracted to Hinata?

No, he wasn't.

Not in the slightest.

Sasuke Uchiha did not fall for girls.

Nor did he fall for men—he just wasn't someone like that, and he would go around the rest of his life saying it, even if he got mocked for it.

Those around him could blame it on those stupid bitch fan girls who had left him with sleepless nights, scared to death that he'd be molested in his own bedroom.

Itachi had said to deal with it.

It felt good

Sasuke spat at his elder brother and let it lie.

"Well?" Neji Hyuuga seethed, "I am waiting…"

Sasuke opened his mouth, but nothing came out.

Then, there was a soft knock on the door, and without hesitation, Sasuke opened it, revealing a very confused looking Hinata.

"Hinata, I'm having an important discussion with Sasuke, get out," Neji shooed her, using a much harsher tone than before.

"A-ah, alright, Neji…uhm…but…it's not Sasuke's fault." The young girl chirped, before walking inside fully much to her cousin's displeasure, and sitting next to Neji on the bed.

Both Hyuuga's stared up at the Uchiha.

"Still waiting for an answer, Uchiha," Neji growled, not caring in the least anymore if Hinata was there.

"I don't like Hinata, if that's what you think," Sasuke growled back, grinding his teeth.

"Then what the hell did you mean when you said that thing last night?" Neji stood up at lightning speed, about to just knock out this disrespectful piece of sh—

"It's alright, Neji…it was me that…well…" Hinata went over and latched her fingers around Sasuke's forearm, "I came onto Sasuke. He didn't want me, but I—well, I liked him…" Hinata stared at her cousin with large, pleading eyes, "don't blame the Uchiha."

Sasuke's one good eye twitched, Neji felt impossibly woozy…

And right then, the fabric of the universe was ripped in half, chewed up by a dog, and spat out, followed by the apocalypse.

But Hinata just stood there, wondering why the fuck she had just done that.

**XXX**

"What…WHAT…WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT HINATA?"Neji shrieked, gripping bundles of hair in his tight fists.

"I said that I—"

"NO, I FUCKING HEARD WHAT YOU FUCKING SAID, BUT I REFUSE TO FUCKING BELIEVE IT!" Neji was a complete wreck now, and Hinata and Sasuke backed up at the same time.

"It'd be best if you left now," Hinata turned to look up at Sasuke.

"…probably…" the young man breathed, staring at the girl.

Did she really like him?

"I don't really like you," Hinata breathed, pushing him with her hands, "but you're okay. And I don't like fighting…physical fighting." She clarified, pushing the young man towards the doorway more and more.

"…ah…alright…" Sasuke stared at this girl, completely absorbed in what she had just said, even if it hadn't been true…

Girls had confessed their love for him before, but none had…

None had actually said that they **LIKED** him…as a person…

That he was '_okay'_…he'd rather be '_okay'_ than loved at any time. And for some reason, this made him feel bigger and better than he had ever been.

"You're okay too, Hyuuga," he breathed, before exiting and running down the stairs, out to the street, where he decidedly sprinted towards the bus stop.

It was…okay, being '_okay'_.

**XXX**

**NEWSFLASH!**

_OMGWTF that sucked. :D:D_

_is hit__ in the head with a giant trout)_

_Yeah, yeah I'm sorry :(:(_

_And if you think you know what went on with everyone else…YOU'RE WRONG!_

_No, seriously, tell me what you think happened, you're probably all right since I'm bloody predictable :P_

_Thanks guys, for reading, really, and sticking through these past chapters with me, all the reviews have meant so much. This chapter was a bit OOC, but it happens, and some constructive comments would be awesome—but some lovely ones would be too._

_Seriously, you guys have been FANTASTIC._

_Loves!_

_xoxo_


	7. Chapter 7

**The Denial Twist**

x.x.x

_**p0g0stick**_

x.x.x

**Hello all! I'm really sorry about that horrible double chapter post, but I felt like chapter 5 had been way too long—longer than the stories I work on in my spare time! In THOSE I usually stop at 50 pages because**** I lose inspiration. How sad D:**

**But I am truly, really, sincerely, horribly sorry for that double chapter post, I know it must have been painful.**

**(Is once again brutally bludgeoned.)**

**Hey...HEY! HEY, HEY, HEY!**

**I'm being nice and giving you a sexy chapter.**

**XXX**

**Disclaimer: **LAMBICORNS. Oh. And I don't own Naruto. Or a lambicorn (lambicornlamb unicorn).

**XXX**

**"**The boat yeah you know she's rockin' it

And the truth well you know there's no stoppin' it."

**XXX**

Neji hadn't taken Hinata's 'news' well.

However, he wasn't completely lecturing her, as he usually would have, and he wasn't threatening to lock her away in a long, winding torrent inside a faraway castle, where no one could find her and she could live out a life of chastity in peace.

But, instead, the young boy-going-on-full-grown-man was too busy throwing a rampage.

Hinata only felt bad when Neji awoke Ino with his restless yelling and stomping. _That_ she felt guilty about, mostly because Ino had been sleeping soundly without a worry. All the crying she had done must have easily worn her out, and the young girl had to wonder how long exactly her blonde friend had been crying for.

When Ino had finally woken up fully, and Neji had finally ceased his temper tantrum (or at least taken it elsewhere, being the downstairs living room where their television set resided), Hinata decided to make tea.

Her elder cousin declined the offer, scowling at her and muttering underneath his breath some _very_ colorful words.

Since then, he had locked himself up inside the recreational living room (rather than locking up his younger cousin), sneaking out after five minutes to steal a cup from the cupboard and fix his own tea, believing himself to be sneaky, but Hinata had seen him do it, and already predicted it to happen.

The young girl sighed and shook her head, watching Neji make his way down the stairs as she had turned her back to walk into her room.

Ino was sitting on the edge of the bed, looking slightly more cheerful than she had previously appeared.

The young girl had obviously raided Hinata's vanity, brushed her hair, and looked to have put on some (what Hinata hoped was waterproof) mascara.

Hinata never carried or wore make-up, but after receiving so much for Christmas and her birthday, especially following her thirteenth and sixteenth years, it sort of just piled up and hung around—and Ino knew where it was.

When Hinata walked in with the tray of tea, her elder friend smiled lightly, and patted the section of the bed next to her.

The young girl set the tea next to her friend, easily pouring a generous amount from the teapot into one of the cups she had brought, and gave it to Ino to fix as she pleased. Instead, in hers, Hinata added a spoonful of honey and drank it like that.

"Thank-you, Hina," Ino sighed happily, fixing her tea and drinking it easily. When the young girl had finished, she stared at Hinata, watching her as she stared out the window.

Ino tried to see what she was looking at.

But, to no avail. She found nothing.

"Hina? What are you looki—"

"Ino…do you think that, had you been on the verandah on the second floor…could you have been able to climb through this window?"

Ino blinked in confusion.

**XXX**

Never before inside Neji Hyuuga's life would he have imagined his younger (not to mention utterly pure, angelic, well behaved...) cousin to have held secret feelings for Sasuke Uchiha.

She had never spoken to him!

Never!

At least not until that moment that had taken place earlier...b-but still!

They had nothing in common. NOTHING.

The only thing they probably could relate to each other with was their enjoyment of solitude.

Solitude and that they both were exceptionally intelligent—Hinata might not be a genius like Neji himself was, but the Uchiha—and Neji couldn't deny this—was blindingly clever, and Hinata wasn't inside AP Honors English for nothing.

Neji mulled over his thoughts.

What else did they hold in common?

Their appearances, he guessed, although Hinata was short and petite, whereas Sasuke was tall and only slightly built. Hinata's hair was dark, as was Sasuke's, but at least hers had a striking indigo tint to it.

Sasuke's was blacker than night.

Just like his eyes.

Hinata had the Hyuuga eyes…what if Sasuke held feelings for her? What would their eyes turn out? Deep obsidian with pearly white eyes, which equaled the most awkward shade of gray Neji Hyuuga, could think of.

There.

Biologically it couldn't work.

But…why Hinata?

Neji groaned and sipped his tea, only spitting it back into the cup.

"_FUCK_ THAT'S HOT!"

XXX

Tenten sighed, sitting on Kiba's couch.

There was dog hair on it, but she didn't mind too much. At least it didn't smell like the young man's dog…

As if on cue, Akamaru ambled up to the young girl, jumping onto the couch despite his large size—he was about the size of a full-grown German shepherd dog, but Tenten could not completely figure out his origin.

Now, it appeared as if the young dog had grown used to the young girl, he wasn't growling or snapping at her, just pretending as if she didn't exist at all.

Maybe it was because she was wearing Kiba's elder sister's shirt.

It was her size, although she worried that she had stretched it slightly with her more athletic build. From the pictures she'd seen lying around Hana's room, Kiba's sister was tall, slim and very tan, with the same Inuzuka brown hair and warm brown eyes.

Tenten was usually one who thought things through; designed and mulled things over, but then would end up throwing away all plans that had been created, thinking and acting couldn't come together—it was one or the other, and naturally with Tenten it came with her being so athletic and participating on many sports teams.

Teamwork, planning and organization were keys to success, especially when she had to work with girls who would rather paint their nails than catch a pop fly from short stop.

So, naturally, Tenten had to learn to think fast, act quick and just let it go when a crucial play arose.

But, when she had decided to take a shower after waking up at Kiba's house—well, she had just thought that maybe she would wear her dress again.

Of course, when she had gotten out, soaking wet and clutching a towel to her body (Tenten cringed every time she remembered this when she was older—it was rude to have not asked to use a towel and also to have made sure she had clean clothes,) she realized that it was soaked through with sweat, mud and whatever else she had laid on.

Slowly, the girl had left the confines of the bathroom, and lightly tiptoed through the room, opening the door into the hallway.

"K-Kiba…"

"On the bed!" came the slightly muffled call, and Tenten turned, finding a pair of shorts and shirt.

But, that lead her to where she was now, sitting by herself on a large, hair-covered couch with a slobbering dog who was continuously rubbing against her, smothering her neck and chin in licks and trying to persuade her to scratch him on the stomach.

Tenten tentatively ran her fingers over the dogs surprisingly smooth stomach, laughing as he kicked the air with his back left paw, tail wagging in utter contentment.

She almost didn't hear the young man walk in.

"Ready to go home?" he inquired, smiling warmly at her.

"Yeah," she nodded and smiled, but stared down at the dog beneath her finger tips.

"Eh, he'll be fine, he's just ass-kissing right now," Kiba laughed, and began walking out to his car, Akamaru jumping up and away from Tenten to follow.

**XXX**

Sasuke paced around his bedroom angrily.

This wasn't good.

He couldn't stop thinking about Hinata's confession earlier that day—he knew she was just saying it to get him off the hook—but…

Why had it made him feel so good?

Why had she done this for him…when all he had done was brought her complete misery, been rude, and been so uncaring, so…

_Him_.

But this little worthless girl…who stood against everything he believed it, lest anyone forget, had stood up for him.

A sickly warm, sensationally feeling bubbled inside of his gut.

**She LIKES you…**

Well, obviously, she _liked_ everyone…and all girls seemed to be automatically programmed to **LOVE** him…

But she had been different.

She hadn't thrown herself at him, she'd glared at him and made horrible comebacks that would have made any other man shrink away, and deciding to end whatever was happening before it got ugly.

**Doesn't it bother you that she didn't THROW herself at you?**

NO.

It didn't.

He argued back fiercely with the little voice inside his head that kept knocking his mind between the pros and cons of this situation.

Didn't he like her slightly?

She wasn't like the other girls.

She was…_nice_…

Right?

That was it. She was just nice. Just helping him out—it was what _nice_ girls did.

Right.

_Nice_ girls forgave and did _nice_ things for **bad** guys like him.

He was the **bad** guy…the **bad** guy didn't have to like the _nice_ girl, he just had to tolerate her, then she would show him something about himself he never knew, then they could sing a happy Randy Newman Disney-esque song, hold hands and walk into the sunset promising to be the best of friends for all eternity.

Sasuke would swear to never harm another living creature and lead on his life to be a successful…whatever it was that bad guys became when they turned good.

Good guy?

And Hinata would go on to marry the true hero of the story, living in a two-story house in a happy neighborhood, go to fancy parties where all the women wore tight red dresses and had that frosted-bob hair cut, drink wine and then have children—all healthy and exceptionally beautiful who dressed themselves and went to bed when they should.

Was history allowed to be rewritten?

Had the bad guy ever…Sasuke couldn't believe he was doing this.

He sounded like a complete asshole—Sasuke Uchiha was going soft. He was becoming worse than Naruto Uzumaki or…or…Sakura and Ino!

**You like her…**

I don't! Sasuke screamed inside his head, I. DO. NOT!

**Yes, you do. Admit it. You like her. You think she's pretty—she's nice, she's kind, she's funny, she can hold her own in an argument****…**

NO

**You**.

NO I DON'T.

**Like**.

NO.

**HER**.

Sasuke roared loudly, screeching,

"I DON'T FUCKING LIKE HINATA HYUUGA,"

"Really?"

Sasuke whipped around, only to find Naruto Uzumaki standing in the doorway to his room, wearing the widest Cheshire cat grin known to man.

"Well, Sasuke…elaborate for me, please?"

His blue eyes gleamed.

**XXX**

Hinata sat down, drinking her tea with Ino.

"So, Ino…what really happened?" She asked, tilting her head slightly to the side, studying her friend's features as they crunched up and twisting into a tightly coiled cringe.

Ino just cleared her features back up when she saw Hinata watching her and stared into the tea cup.

Her reflection glared back at her.

She winced.

"Ah…Hina…"

Her gaze flicked to her younger friend, whose eyes were twisted downward, full of worry and concern.

How would Hinata react?

Hinata—so young, so pure, so…

So…Hinata.

What if she didn't accept Ino as her friend, after she told her? What if she shrunk away, demanded Ino leave…what if she…what if she broke off their friendship?

Ino would be all alone—no Hinata, Sakura wasn't picking up and Tenten was MIA.

She wouldn't have anywhere else to run to.

"Hina…you're my…you're my friend, r-right?" She felt the large ball constrict her esophagus.

Hinata nodded, taking the teacup from Ino's hands and placing it onto the tray, in turn taking her hands into her friend's now empty ones.

"Ino…I'm your friend, I swear I am, you can tell me anything," Hinata urged, soothing her friends sorrows.

"You won't…promise me, Hina," Hinata nodded, allowing Ino to continue, "Promise me you won't…hate me, promise me you won't leave me when I tell you this."

Ino waited for another nod.

Hinata didn't hesitate, as she nodded and pulled her friend into a tight embrace,

"I promise, Ino, you can tell me anything, I won't judge you."

Ino took a deep breath, letting out a few labored sobs.

"Last night…I…" Ino broke down into sobs, and Hinata listened to every mumbled word.

**XXX**

The two boys stared at Hinata's door.

"If you like her, tell her," Naruto urged, the light summer wind shifting his blonde hair, making it shimmer in the labored light.

The sun was beginning to descend.

"I don't like her you dobe—this was a pointless trip, and you wasted all of your time—and energy—getting me out here," Sasuke grumbled, miffed by all the fuss the blonde had begun to just get Sasuke into the car and back out to this goddamn house for what seemed like the millionth time that day.

"I bet you do—hell, fuck Sasuke, I KNOW you do! And you know what? I lost who I thought was my love, bet you had I asked her out sooner she'd still be with me…but, damnit, Sasuke if you tell Hinata…I bet she won't ever leave you…" Naruto ended his speech, "even though I would have had I been dating you."

Naruto laughed uproariously as Sasuke tried to smack him in the face.

"I don't like her, you nimrod." The young man turned around, beginning to walk away from the mansion.

"YES YOU DO!" Naruto yelled, running to catch up with his friend, "That's the first stage of liking someone! Denial! You're in-fuckin-denial—look, just talk to her at least…you did ask me for her number earlier…"

Sasuke shivered.

Fucker.

"HA!"

The young man groaned, massaging his temples, for he felt a major migraine emerging.

"You like her Sasuke, or at least you can tolerate her to some length…and don't deny that you think that she's hot, because you said it yourself last night," Naruto grabbed onto his friends arm and began to pull.

Strange enough, Sasuke let him.

**XXX**

"So, which way?" Kiba asked, starting the engine.

Akamaru yelped.

Earlier, Tenten had nearly died when Akamaru ambled up and hopped into the back seat of Kiba's car.

_"YOU TAKE HIM WITH YOU?" She demanded, looking from Kiba to the rather large dog._

_"Yup!" Kiba chirped, happily buckling himself in._

"Well?" Kiba asked again, "where do I start?" He waited patiently for her answer.

"Actually…you can just take me to Hinata's house," Tenten said.

It was better—he knew the way, and Hinata wouldn't mind Tenten's company in the least—the young girl knew this. Plus she had to get off her chest what was paining her so.

Kiba nodded, understanding,

"Alright."

They pulled out.

**XXX**

"Oh, Ino," Hinata consoled her friend, deciding to lay off on the goody-two-shoes scolding.

"The worst part is that—I think Sakura found out, she's been completely ignoring me, Tenten too—oh my god, Hinata, Tenten knows already anyway and Sakura…oh fuck, Hinata, I'm all alone," Ino blubbered, cradling her head on her younger friend's shoulder.

"No, you're not, Ino—I doubt either one of them know this fast…and even if they did, they are your friends, just like I am…we'll deal with this, don't worry," Hinata smoothed over her friends once again frazzled hair.

"Hina…I…this…I didn't want any of it to end this way," her eyes were now gazing upon Hinata, deep, red, with an off-setting blue that almost blinded Hinata when she looked back.

"I know you didn't, Ino…I know," Hinata felt like crying herself, and hugged her friend tighter.

**XXX**

"I can't be here, Naruto," Sasuke stared at his friend, "Neji wants me dead."

"Because of last night, Sasuke? Don't sweat it—Neji's pretty calm…man, he's usually a…whatsa callit…a pacefist? Pashefist? Posafist?"

"Pacifist, Naruto?" Sasuke offered, continuing to murmur some choice words under his breath.

"Yeah! He doesn't like violence…"

"Tell that to my eye," Sasuke hissed, pointing dramatically to the bandage.

"He got a little carried away, alright, see…watch, if he answers, you'll see," Naruto rung the doorbell, and followed it with a series of knocks.

A maid answered, Sasuke recognized her as the one from earlier.

She let them in, obviously perturbed to see Sasuke there…again…for about the fourth time that day.

Naruto pulled Sasuke along, limp like a ragdoll.

**XXX**

Hinata got up racehorse fast when there was a knock at her door.

"Neji, not right now!" she ran to the door, remembering how she had forgotten to lock it, but she was too late.

Naruto stepped through the doors threshold, a smile glittering on his face—and his face abruptly fell when he saw Ino.

Ino's face reflected his own.

He felt an aching inside his heart.

"What's wrong, Naruto? Now's not a good time…" Hinata began, ushering Naruto out as fast as possible.

Naruto's gaze flickered back to Hinata as he began to lose sight of Ino.

"Ah…Hina…Hinata, uhm, well…I brought Sasuke to see you…he has something…" he watched Ino as she moved, and sunk underneath Hinata's bed covers, "to say to you." He finished gulping.

Hinata blocked his vision with her door.

It was only then she noticed Sasuke standing behind Naruto, grumbling to himself.

"Yes, Sasuke?" she asked, watching as Sasuke's eyes widened as they fell upon her.

"I don't have anything to say, Naruto's fucking delusional—sorry, Hinata," he didn't realize it fully until he had said it.

But Naruto and Hinata had.

Sasuke had just apologized to someone.

And to a girl, no less.

"I'll leave you guys to talk," Naruto chirped happily, masking his worry over Ino as he inched away from the two in the opposite direction to Hinata's room…instead, he was going to find Neji. This was something he had to get off of his chest.

Sasuke and Hinata both began to argue against it, but when Naruto kicked Sasuke in his back, sending the young man flying into Hinata, cornering her against the wall, they both ceased.

Naruto laughed, walking away.

But instead, Sasuke was at a complete loss for words.

His lips were pressed deeply into Hinata's bangs, almost touching the skin of her forehead, whilst the young girl's nose was pressing slightly into the section of his neck where his throat met his collarbone.

Neither talked, nor moved, too afraid to do anything.

"So…your…hair smells…nice?" Sasuke offered.

"So…does your…uhm…neck?"

Sasuke rose, and saw as the color of Hinata's face intensified to a bright red.

They just stared at each other in complete silence.

**XXX**

"Thanks for the ride!" Tenten grinned, waving at Kiba as he reversed.

"Don't mention it! Anytime—let's just hope next time you haven't passed out in my front lawn," Kiba called back, Akamaru barking his agreement.

"I'll try not to!" Tenten laughed, racing up Hinata's front steps and banging on the door.

What happened next would probably be what Tenten referred to later in life as the worst experience of her life.

Naruto Uzumaki opened the door, and the duo stared at each other, horror etched into their faces.

**XXX**

Hinata sighed, leaning against the wall.

This day was turning out horrible—worse, she imagined, if Neji caught Sasuke back here.

Was Sasuke just hard-headed?

He kept coming to her house—was he here to straighten things up? To tell Neji what had happened?

"Sorry," Sasuke grimaced, rubbing the bridge over his nose, "Naruto…he…"

The young man groaned.

"It's alright," Hinata offered, staring anywhere but where Sasuke was.

What's worse is that she liked the proximity.

Too much.

Way, way, way too much…

It had sent her up on a delirious high, so intoxicating, so delicious that she couldn't shirk herself out of it, as hard as she tried. The worst part was that her eyes kept flying back to Sasuke's neck, right where her nose had skimmed the skin.

_Right_ there.

She had been _right there_.

The young girl shivered.

"Sorry…again…that I keep ending up over here," Sasuke apologized again, wincing when he realized that he had yet again APOLOGIZED, something Sasuke Uchiha had NEVER done.

NEVER.

"It's…it's alright, you just…caught me at a bad time, really," Hinata noticed a light pink flush seeped across Sasuke's cheek bones.

Sasuke watched as she fiddled with her fingers.

It was a shame that he didn't like her, because he really wanted to hold them in his own.

They were probably so small compared to his, so tiny and fragile…

How had she made it through this world?

He wanted to embrace her, to hold her, never let her go.

Fuck that, Sasuke Uchiha was going too soft.

He glared now.

How dare this girl make him feel this way? How dare she do these things to him—make him feel this way!

HE HAD NEVER FELT THIS WAY BEFORE.

So why her—why was Hinata Hyuuga so damn special?

He'd been in close proximity to girls…girls had touched him, girls had smothered him, forced their lips upon his and more.

So why…

Why did he LIKE it when she did it?

He fought off all of the others, kicking them, pushing them, yelling at them and spitting at their feet.

So how come Hinata could touch him and make him feel like he had never been touched before, why did he crave her attention? Why did he want to be around her, and fed off of her existence?

This girl—sure, she was funny and nice, quiet and solemn, fierce when she wanted to be…

But what was pulling him towards her.

He growled, gripping either side of her face.

"Why the hell are you doing this to me?" He hissed, watching as her eyes widened, then glared back at him.

"Doing WHAT? I'm not doing ANYTHING to you, Sasuke; it's more like you're doing stuff to ME!" She seethed, gripping his hands in her own petite ones.

"No! Dammit, fuck, Hinata, you make me want to just yell and SCREAM and KICK, you make me want to…"

"To what, you ignorant, lousy, arrogant son of a—"

And with that, Sasuke smothered her lips with his, silencing her for what seemed like an eternity.

**XXX**

**LOL WORST ENDING TO A CHAPTER EVER! HAHA.**

**BUT HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MEE!**

_That was so horrible and OOC and horrible and distasteful and blahblahblah._

_I'll probably get a nice flame for having some horrible unoriginality—but I'll live, I suppose._

_However, you won't unless you review._

_Wanna know why? Because I wanna hear what you think—not about the kiss because I completely sucked at that, but about what you think is GOING ON._

_Because even I'm confusing __myself__ D_

_But, yeah, comment on the kiss._

_You have to._

_BECAUSE IT'S MY BIRTHDAY—HAHA! Yes, March 4__th__, Pisces are awesome, chyeah?_

_So now you have to—sorry guys:)_

_Next chapter up on Saturday._


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